


The Time of Our Lives

by SakuraNights



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Best Friends, Dynamic Duo, Emotional, Friendship, Fun, Funny, Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Humor, No shipping, Snippets, bros, i take full advantage of the headcannon that Ratchet has some catlike qualities, originally posted on ff.net, some touching moments, there's blood in a scene or two, very small amount of language, word prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:32:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7998742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraNights/pseuds/SakuraNights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ratchet and Clank experience many adventures, big and small, in their lives. One thing is for certain, however: they will be together through it all. (Word prompts and snippets)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on fanfiction.net (my first AO3 post! How about that? 8D)
> 
> Hey everyone! I want to start off by saying that I've had something of an obsession with Ratchet and Clank as of lately. The ONLY games I've played from the series are Size Matters and the new 2016 remake (I will be remedying this very soon, however, with the Ratchet and Clank HD Collection for PS3). After watching the movie in theaters twice (seriously, it is NOT THAT BAD. It's not a GREAT movie, but I still freaking love it!), these dorks have been the only thing on my mind for the past few weeks!
> 
> A few years back, I did some research into the series, so I already had an idea of who the characters were and what they were doing. That being said, these snippets will be jumping around from different points in the series. Using a few random word generators, I was able to type up these shorts! Please enjoy! And yes, I was greatly inspired by several other fanfics of this nature around here by amazing writers such as blazichu, echo333, division-ten, and many more!

_**Stew** _

"Have I ever told you that your cooking is the best?" Ratchet asked excitedly. Clank chuckled before offering him a third bowl of stew. The decadent aroma easily wafted throughout the kitchen and filled the air with some of the best smells that Ratchet had ever experienced.

"You mention it every time I prepare a meal. I'm glad it's decent… however, an essential part of cooking requires one to taste-test the dish before serving it."

"Are you kidding?" Ratchet exclaimed between bites, "Your meals are the best I've ever had!" He took another spoonful, sighing contentedly before continuing. "Besides, I'd be more than happy to test your dishes, if you want!" Clank shook his head good-naturedly as he prepared to give him a fourth serving.

"I believe you already are, Ratchet."

______________________________________________________

_**Study** _

For the umpteenth time that day, Clank heard the distinct sound of a head defeatedly hitting a table. Hopping away from his terminal, he peered into the dining room, where Ratchet had been determined to learn Markazian, and apparently had been having no luck.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" Ratchet groaned, voice muffled from being facedown on the wooden surface. Clank hoisted himself up onto the table and glanced at the open book. "Perhaps if you started with basic sentence structures first instead of jumping straight into the difficult aspects of the language, you would have an easier time grasping it," Clank suggested lightly. Ratchet's head tilted up as he glared at him, silent for a moment before pushing his face back into the table.

"...I AM starting with basic sentence structures..." he muttered quietly. He shrank further into his seat when Clank began snickering.

______________________________________________________

_**Bitter** _

"I won't take it."

"Ratchet, don't be stubborn. You brought this upon yourself, after all."

Ratchet hated to admit it, but Clank WAS right... he had warned him not to run around in the rain. But it hardly ever rained on Veldin, and he couldn't help himself, and now he was paying the price with a rather nasty cold. If that didn't make matters worse, Clank had somehow gotten a hold of the most bitter-tasting medicine he could find, and was currently trying to make him drink it. Ratchet let out a large sneeze, before collapsing back against his chair with a groan. Clank sighed and shook his head. At this rate, he'd be fighting against him until the end of the day.

"Very well then. Shall we compromise? You can have whatever you want for dinner if you take this medicine." At this, Ratchet immediately perked up, a smile growing on his face as he thought of the possibilities. Recently, Clank had been trying to get him to eat "healthier" foods, and hardly ever gave him an out like this unless it was a special occasion.

"A double cheeseburger, extra large fries, and a cola! Er, please?" he immediately blurted out, but quickly remembering Clank's innumerable lessons on manners at the end. If he could, the little warbot would've rolled his eyes, but a smile was on his face nonetheless.

"Galaxy Burger it is, then. Now, will you please take it?" Ratchet grimaced as he accepted the small cup from Clank, and downed it in one go. "Blehh... _ACHOO_!" Playing in the rain and getting sick? It was totally worth it.

______________________________________________________

_**Piano** _

"Clank, you see that?"

Ratchet flicked a light towards the object of his interest. A piano, dirty and worn out by time, lay in the light's wake. Clank hopped off of Ratchet's back and slowly made his way towards it.

"How curious... I never would have taken the Lombaxes for being the musical sort," Clank remarked as he inspected the old instrument. He poked one of the ivory keys experimentally, but no sound could be heard, as years of disuse made itself clear.

The Lombax Ruins on Fastoon never ceased to amaze them, and it seemed every time they thought they knew as much about the Lombax race as they could, something always turned up and intrigued them more. This particular half-destroyed home had proven as much.

"Ratchet, can you play?"

"Ha! You serious? I've never even seen one of these in-person before! How about you?"

"Unfortunately, I do not know how. But simply seeing one does inspire me to try learning. Perhaps I will even write a song for you, ehehehe!"

Ratchet laughed, and beckoned Clank to follow him out.

"Now THAT'S something I'd like to hear sometime!"

______________________________________________________

_**Allow** _

The night sky was absolutely breathtaking. Ratchet sat on the dusty ground with his back against Aphelion, and stared upwards for goodness knows how long. They were parked in the middle of... well, he wasn't exactly sure. After another promising lead to find Clank turned up cold, Ratchet had let Aphelion take over to find a place to stop for the night.

_Losing track of time, not knowing where we are... boy, I'm really losing my mind these days…_ Ratchet thought to himself ruefully. He shook his head gently, then shifted in his seat before turning his gaze back to the sky once more. Aphelion didn't say a word, but emitted a soft hum in an effort to console the disheartened Lombax. It was plain to see that this journey was beginning to take its toll, if his drooping ears, half-lidded eyes, and limp tail were any indication.

Millions of bright stars glimmering in the distance reminded Ratchet of a conversation he and Clank had at some point not-so-recently. He closed his eyes as the memory came back to him...

_"Hey, Clank, I heard something really cool today! Did you know that each star is a sun for a different galaxy?"_

_Clank glanced up from the book he was reading. Ratchet's tail flicked about excitedly and he bounced slightly on his heels- as expected, any talk of adventure or the unknown was sure to entice him._

_"Well, it IS plausible..." Clank closed his book and gave him his full attention._

_"But can you imagine? Different worlds to explore, untouched lands... maybe even some advanced technology we'd never even seen!" Ratchet's hands waved about as he spoke._

_"It would be quite the adventure, that's for certain. However, it would take a very long time to explore every corner, don't you agree?"_

_"Sure, but that just means we'll have to start as soon as possible!"_

_Clank chuckled at his predictable response, and Ratchet grinned, his tail wagging just a little faster than before._

Ratchet's fists clenched, and he opened his eyes again to view the starry sky. Back then, he was eager to start exploring right away to see what was beyond the Solana Galaxy. Now, with Clank lost somewhere out there, he wasn't sure where to even begin. If what they had been talking about was true, he would be searching for his friend for an uncertain amount of time...

He pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head on his arms. He gritted his teeth and shuddered slightly.

_No matter how long it takes, I will find you, Clank... I'll search for you forever if I have to._

Ratchet's resolute promise was accompanied by only a few silent tears. It was all he would allow for himself.

______________________________________________________

_**Deep** _

Ratchet hissed as he poured a canister of nanotech over a particularly large gash on his arm. It was a close call, but he'd managed to beat out the surprisingly large group of bots they had encountered on their latest mission. Clank detached himself from Ratchet's harness and moved to face him. He took his arm and inspected the cut for a moment.

"This laceration appears to be quite deep... you may have to wrap it and give the nanotech more time to work."

"Great... and this is my swinging arm, too," Ratchet grumbled as he kneeled down to give Clank- who produced a roll of bandaging from his inner compartment- a better view. With Ratchet's danger-filled tendencies, the bot knew better than to come unprepared, just in case.

"It won't take too long to heal. After all, this appears to be the only shot they got at you, correct?"

Ratchet bit back a curse as Clank began to wrap his arm, and let out an exasperated sigh before replying.

"Aside from a few nicks here and there, but it was a lucky shot, if anything!"

______________________________________________________

_**Fish** _

"I got it! I GOT IT!" Ratchet whooped as he felt a tug on the end of his line. Clank rushed to his side with a net at the ready. It had only been an hour or so, but they were on a roll, already having caught 6 fish.

He struggled with the fishing rod for a few minutes until a large, blue-green fish was wrenched out of the water. It landed straight into the net that had been extended outwards, and flipped about wildly in the warbot's grasp. Clank turned and held up a hand for a high-five, which Ratchet delivered eagerly.

"Nice catch. I believe we have plenty for dinner tonight."

"Yeah! We make an awesome team! And... I suppose it helps that fish are kinda in abundance on this planet..."

The duo had decided to take a... rest (neither dared to say "vacation" or "break" out of fear of something, anything popping up to ruin it for them as usual) on Pokitaru, and so far their day had been going considerably well.

They both knew better than to state that out loud, though, just in case they jinxed it.

______________________________________________________

_**Attack** _

His tail flicked back and forth and he silently stalked his prey. His target appeared unsuspecting, and after watching for a few seconds more, Ratchet suddenly pounced from his hiding spot.

" _PILLOW FIGHT!_ " his battle cry rang out, and his aim was true…

...if only Clank hadn't turned at the last moment and caught the fluffy pillow mere centicubits from his face.

Clank chuckled as he caught sight of the shocked confusion that crossed Ratchet's features.

"I've learned to expect at least this much from you, especially since you initiated the impromptu pillow fight last week. However," his other hand emerged from behind his back, and an equally-as-fluffy pillow appeared, "this time, I am prepared."

The pillow flew straight into Ratchet's face, and he immediately retaliated, both of them bursting with laughter the entire time.

And just like last time, Clank won the war.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! I had TONS of fun writing up these ones!

_**Dice** _

 

Ears flicked back and eyes narrowed in deep concentration, Ratchet bit his lip as he contemplated his next move.

 

"Okay... I'm going to try hacking into the main computer."

 

"Roll a D20 for Dexterity," Network Master Clank responded. Their latest session of "Networks & Nidbots" had taken an interesting turn, and Ratchet was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery before they had to call it quits for the night. His rolls, however, had led to pitiful outcomes, and he'd switched between 2 other dice already. He stood and rolled the die in his fist for a second before he released it onto the table.

 

His mouth went agape when it landed on a paltry 3.

 

"You attempt to hack the computer, but end up downloading a terrible bootleg of Captain Qwark's newest film, instead." Clank desperately tried to suppress his laughter as Ratchet sank back into his chair, head in his hands.

 

"Unbelievable... all of these dice are loaded! They have to be!!"

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Direct_ **

 

The training target shattered as a plasma ball burst through it. Ratchet twirled the Combuster in his hand a few times before blowing the steam off the end and smirking victoriously.

 

"How's that for a direct hit? What's my time, pal?"

 

Clank glanced down at the stopwatch before responding.

 

"2 minutes, 32 seconds. You've beaten your previous record by 4 seconds," he announced.

 

"Yeah!! An obstacle course with 55 targets? Not a problem for this Lombax! Woohoo!!" Ratchet fist pumped and cheered. Clank smiled as he watched his friend celebrate. They'd been on this training course for the past few hours while Ratchet had been furiously trying to beat his score. Now that he'd accomplished his goal, maybe they could finally go home…

 

"Hey Clank! Let's make it 75 targets this time!"

 

...or not.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Purring_ **

 

For as long as they'd been together, something always piqued Clank's curiosity. What was it that people referred to Ratchet as when they didn't know he was a Lombax?

 

A  _ cat _ ?

 

Clank saw some similarities between Ratchet and the common household pet, yes, but aside from appearance alone, he couldn't make a real connection. Then again, he'd never been given a real chance to see for himself if they were as similar as people made them out to be. Ratchet didn't clean himself with his tongue, didn't sleep nearly entire days away (although Clank would tease him about this whenever he did end up sleeping in), and didn't have an urge to scratch at or knock things off of any surface (then again, could his destructive habits be comparable?).

There seemed to be nothing between them, and yet Clank had one more theory to test out. He had to know for sure if there wasn't anything more than just physical appearance that connected them.

 

Why  _ was  _ he so determined to figure this out? He asked himself this several times, but assumed that lack of action or Galaxy-saving missions may have been to blame.

 

He waited until later that night after Ratchet had turned in before attempting his test. One involuntary aspect that was unique to felids (as well as few other species, he added mentally) was purring. Normally a sign of comfort and pleasure, he thought perhaps simply the action of petting would be enough to set it off in the Lombax, if at all. He didn't wait for too long, as purring during a sleeping period usually only happened when one was in light sleep.

 

Clank hopped onto the nightstand and watched Ratchet carefully, in case he might still be awake. Heavy sleeper as he tended to be, years of battle experience allowed him to snap into action in a heartbeat at the first sign of danger.

The small bot reached forward, deciding to try scratching in the small spot where his ear met his head. Ratchet’s ear twitched slightly, and his head moved slightly, almost leaning into the touch. Nothing seemed to happen for a few moments, and Clank was ready to give up... until he was surprised by a gentle vibration accompanied by a low, quiet purr.

 

He pulled his hand back and grinned at the success of his experiment. He knew for a fact that Ratchet would've been too embarrassed to let him try while he was awake, and while he DID feel bad for not asking him first, Clank figured this was a proper way to get back at him for attempting to turn off his built-in automatic voice recorder without permission.

 

The purring eventually died down, and Ratchet’s normal breathing pattern was all that could be heard in the dark room. Satisfied with the result, Clank pulled himself up onto his own bed, and promised himself he would never tell a soul- especially Ratchet- about his findings.

 

_ Unless of course,  _ he thought mischievously with a smirk,  _ I ever find myself in need of a quick form of blackmail. _

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Cockroach_ **

 

Metal clashing against concrete every few seconds sounded out for the past hour and a half. The Omniwrench-wielding Lombax was at his wit's end trying to smash the elusive insect. Clank watched with amusement as the cockroach skittered across the workshop floor, Ratchet following shortly after. He swung and missed his target once again, causing Clank to giggle at his antics. Ratchet shot him a glare, resting the Omniwrench on his shoulder.

 

"Y’know, this would go a heck of a lot faster if you actually helped me out with this," he pointed out, exasperated.

 

"For the record, I did suggest using bug spray, like a normal person would." Clank smiled and held up the can that had been sitting next to him. Ratchet's brow furrowed in frustration.

 

"Yeah, except that stuff irritates my nose! Seriously, I-" he caught sight of the cockroach and promptly leapt after it, leaving Clank laughing once more. A loud crash rang out, followed by a defeated groan.

 

"If you tried a little harder to tidy up the garage, you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.”

 

"Yeah, yeah, I got it...."

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Summon_ **

 

Clank’s eye twitched when he opened the walk-in closet door and was greeted with a horrendous pile of what could only appropriately be labelled as “junk”. He  _ had _ been suspicious whenever Ratchet finished cleaning up his messes a little too quickly, but always put it out of his mind. And now he was face-to-face with the result of his negligence to keep better tabs on him.

 

Now, he was even more frustrated, having forgotten what he even came to this closet to get. He was going to have a long talk with his friend later about this.

 

He shut the door carefully and turned to walk away, only to hear the door suddenly burst open with various tools, unfinished projects, and scrap metal spilling onto the floor around his startled feet.

 

...Oh, they were definitely going to have a  _ long  _ talk about this. Clank only wondered how he would be able to summon up the patience to calmly and reasonably speak with Ratchet, seeing as his frustration had now reached a new level.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Anger_ **

 

"Whoa!" Ratchet cried as he leapt over the giant fist that barrelled in their direction. He quickly rolled to the side and dove for cover behind a fallen pillar, breathing heavily and wielding his Blaster close to his chest.

 

"Damn it... I can't seem to get an edge on this guy..." Ratchet panted, reloading his Blaster and occasionally throwing a glance over his shoulder.

 

"Despite it's large size, this Snagglebeast is faster than the one we faced before," Clank commented.

 

“Wonderful,” Ratchet muttered, and hurriedly began counting up how many shots his Blaster currently had.

 

Suddenly, the ground beneath Ratchet's feet began to quake slightly- as though a tree had just been forcefully uprooted- and the Snagglebeast released a thunderous roar.

 

"Ratchet, look out!" The Lombax whipped his head around and immediately caught sight of a giant pillar fragment flying in their direction. He yelped and broke into a sprint away from their cover only moments before the fragment collided with the ground and exploded into large pieces. 

 

Several chunks scattered their way, and Clank spotted a hefty portion- about his own size- speeding directly towards them. With no time to think, the warbot quickly detached himself from the harness, placed his feet on Ratchet's back, and kicked him several feet away. He had kept his friend out of danger, but he himself was not so lucky, and the boulder struck him head-on. Confused, Ratchet pulled himself up from the dirt and gasped when he immediately felt the familiar weight absent from his back.

 

" **_CLANK!!_ ** " he hollered, and rushed back to where the bot lay half-buried under the fragment, several of his parts and pieces littering the ground. Ratchet grunted as he shoved the heavy boulder away and frantically ran his eyes and hands over Clank. He was not conscious, but his inner processors could be heard running, albeit weakly. The rest of the damage could be fixed relatively easily, and Ratchet thanked his lucky stars that Clank was tougher than he looked, both physically and mentally. 

 

This, however, didn't stop the rage that was quickly building up inside. The seething Lombax silently rose to his feet, his grip on the Blaster tightening almost painfully. He set his steely glower on the rampaging Snagglebeast before stepping over the small metal body and readying his weapon.

 

"Buddy, you just made a  _ huge _ mistake."

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Tree_ **

 

"So... those necessary upgrades to the Thruster-Pack you were talking about..."

 

"Hey, at least now we know it works! Although, I admit, I could've adjusted the trajectory a little more..."

 

The latest test run left the dynamic duo stranded in a 40 ft. tall tree, and their next mission was figuring out how to get down safely. And considering all of their gear was on the ground close to their take-off point due to Ratchet's impulsiveness, as well as the Thruster-Pack being in dire need of repair now, this was going to take a while.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Propel_ **

 

“Good morning, Ratchet.”

 

“Morning, Clank. Ready for another ‘action-filled’ day?”

 

Lately, their days had been pretty slow, aside from occasional baddies finding their way onto their home turf, but nothing to really raise any alarms about. Ratchet found that he was growing restless, and it seemed that Clank was too, despite being the “voice of reason” in their partnership. The bot would have simply suggested that this time of peace was something that shouldn’t be taken for granted, and the Lombax would probably argue back that this peacetime was boring. But on the inside, he would, surprisingly, be inclined to agree.

 

Peace… was a virtue.

 

Ratchet’s cocky attitude could easily hide that inner sadness that had dwelled within him since childhood. He’d longed for friendships and connections to others when he was younger, but was ousted for not fitting in with the social norms of his home planet. He grew up bitter and wanting nothing more than to leave Veldin to see what else was out there.

 

Only recently, Ratchet and Clank had found out that Lombaxes greatly preferred the companionship of others. Whether it was to share in their tech-savvy ways or just to simply be around others, who was to say for sure?

 

And for how long had Ratchet spent his life in loneliness?

 

Now, Clank was here to offer a simple ‘good morning’ to him each morning, and he would never know how much it was appreciated. The little warbot wandered into his life, despite their differences at first, and had quelled the storm that brewed deep in the Lombax’s soul. 

 

Outwardly, he would protest the days where it seemed nothing happened, but he secretly strove to maintain the peace they were given.

 

The friendship Ratchet had been blessed with propelled him to continue moving forward each day, ‘action-filled’ or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you so much for reading! If you have any single word-prompts you want me to try, please let me know!
> 
> If you didn't already guess, Networks & Nidbots is a parody of Dungeons & Dragons (which I frequent with my friends!). It took me a while to come up with the name- I wanted something... "modern", I guess. Or at least something that fit in with their time. And it probably isn't as fun with just two people, so we can just pretend there were others playing with them, right?
> 
> I channeled my inner HiroNinja (check out his RWBY fanfiction!) while writing "Anger". It's the first time I had ever written an action scene!
> 
> For the prompt, "Propel", I listened to this song while writing it (as well as a few others! This track is really good!): watch?v=NlQVSHhU1p0


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit, I'm not TOO thrilled with how this set turned out, but it's probably just me. I get worried that I'm using their names too many times, or using pronouns in inappropriate places in the story. Heck, I feel like some of these are getting a little repetitive. Feel the same? Definitely let me know, and maybe give me a little advice on what to do differently!

**_Freedom_ **

 

Wind whipped through Ratchet’s fur as he flew through the canyon. The dusty, beige landscape seemed to speed right by him, and he kept his gaze focused in front of himself. The Hoverboots carried him effortlessly over large ravines, and he made sure to touch down at random points throughout his flight.

 

Ratchet had told Clank he was going out for a quick walk… well, emphasis on “walk”, he supposed. This felt so much better.

 

_ He _ felt so much better.

 

Being out in the open air, no boundaries or limitations holding you back… this was freedom.

 

And he wondered if Alister and his father had felt the same way.

 

Ratchet descended onto a large rock spire and turned his gaze to the scenery before him. A gentle breeze, accompanied by the warm heat of the sun, made its presence known. The vast desert went on forever, it seemed. In the silence, he closed his eyes, raised his arms, and took in a deep breath.

 

Yes, this truly was freedom, and he liked to think the older Lombaxes that had come before him felt the same way. The bliss, the serenity… the feelings were incomparable, and could easily make one forget all of their strife.

 

Ratchet lowered his arms and stared out once again at the surface of Veldin. He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there before he realized that Clank was probably becoming worried. He hadn’t meant to stay out this long, but freedom has a way of getting people sidetracked.

 

_ That’s a good one, I’ll use that excuse when I get home _ , he smirked as he fired up his Hoverboots again. 

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Lopsided_ **

 

When Clank spotted the lopsided grin, he knew Ratchet had done something… particularly, something that wasn’t very good. However, he couldn’t figure out what exactly had happened. The day seemed to pass by normally, and yet Clank still couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.

 

“You have been acting rather suspicious today. Is there something you’re hiding from me?” Clank finally asked. Ratchet only snickered in response.

 

“Oh, you’ll see, don’t worry about it….”

 

Now he  _ really _ began to worry. The fact that Ratchet had practically admitted that he  _ had _ done something set him on edge.

 

And yet, the day continued to pass as it did ordinarily. The warbot was racking his inner processors, anxious to find anything that might be out of place or indicating something was wrong. But he found nothing, and that puzzled him to no end.

 

Nighttime finally arrived, and he still was no closer to the answer he sought. He had eventually given up, figuring that whatever had happened, he would know of it sooner or later. The boys settled into their beds, Clank intending to read for maybe an hour or so before powering down. He searched around for his book before sighing when he realized he had forgotten it in the living room.

 

“Something wrong, pal?” 

 

Clank glanced up to see Ratchet staring at him curiously.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing. I left my book downstairs. I will be back… shortly….” He had moved to hop off the bed, but trailed off and paused when the grin he had been fearing all day long quickly returned to his friend’s face.

 

“Don’t move, buddy, this will only take a second!” Ratchet slid off his own bed and began fiddling with something under Clank’s bed.

 

A newly-made, well-hidden control panel, it seemed.

 

“Ratchet, what are you-” he started, but was cut off by the sound of an engine revving up.

 

“Why walk all the way down to the living room, when you could easily fly down there without leaving the comfort of your bed?”

 

Two large jet thrusters emerged from either side of the bed frame and almost immediately the bed rocketed out of the room. It took everything Clank had to hang on for dear life.

 

“ **RAAAAATCHEEEEET!** ”

 

“You’re welcome!”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Startle_ **

 

_ It is WAY too early in the morning for this _ , Ratchet thought as he finished detaching a panel from the toaster. As of recently, the damn thing had started sounding like a gunshot every time it finished toasting bread, and the boys REALLY didn’t need that kind of wake-up call every morning.

 

“Hey, Clank, you’re kinda like a toaster, right? What do you suppose is wrong with this thing?” the Lombax asked, busying himself with finding a light to inspect the toaster’s inner workings. Clank pulled himself onto the table and shot him a glare.

 

“I feel like I should be more offended by that comparison,” Clank’s eyes glowed considerably brighter, providing enough light for Ratchet to work, “but I will ignore it for now. This really needs to be repaired as quickly as possible.”

 

“Thanks, pal. Okay, let’s see what we got here….” Nimble fingers began digging through the contraption, and, to their satisfaction, Ratchet discovered the problem almost immediately.

 

“Oh, of course, rusted coils….” He suddenly slammed the panel door shut. “Ugh! It’s trashed, so we don’t have a choice but to get a new one… and none of the stores are even open right now!” he whined in frustration. Clank watched Ratchet stand up, toaster in hand, and plug it back into an outlet above the counter. He snatched a bagel from the fridge and shoved it into the toaster, then leaned against the counter, a rather childish pout gracing his features.

 

“Why are you using it if it’s no longer functioning properly?” Clank’s eyes dimmed back to their usual glow as he followed Ratchet back to the kitchen.

 

“I’m not going to let a hardware issue stop me from having a bagel, and since it  _ technically  _ still works, I’ll just use it one more time.” He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “Sure will be nice to get up in the morning and not think we’re under attack though, right buddy?”

 

“I agree, that would be a better alternative. This past week alone has been somewhat difficult…”

 

They remained in silence for another minute or two, before Clank began making his way to the living room.

 

“I will get started on finding a suitable replacement.”

 

“Right… have fun,” Ratchet boredly called after him. Mere seconds after stepping out of the kitchen, however, a deafening bang resounded. Clank instantly prepared himself for combat as he spun around to locate the source of the sound. He spotted Ratchet with his Omniwrench at the ready, staring dumbfoundedly at the toaster, which had just finished toasting his bagel.

 

“...Son of a Qwark…” Ratchet muttered quietly after their battle-honed instincts told them they weren’t in danger.

______________________________________________________

**_Dreamer_ **

 

They’d been best friends for over 10 years now. This thought crept its way through Clank’s mind several times throughout the day for some unknown reason. He watched as Ratchet silently moved back and forth between his current project and the blueprints that lay on his workbench, deep in thought and focused. The Lombax was very good at his craft, but it couldn’t always have been that way, right?

 

A mildly disturbing thought came to the warbot, then. He had been with Ratchet since the very first few hours of his life, but Ratchet had a whole other half of his own life that Clank didn’t know very much about. 

 

What was he like as a child? Did he always want to be a mechanic, or did he want to do something else with his life while growing up?

 

“...Ratchet, may I ask a question?” Clank finally spoke up, breaking Ratchet out of his deep concentration.

 

“Go ahead, pal, I’m all ears,” the Lombax turned to face Clank, brushing his dusty hands together.

 

“I was… curious to know about what sort of things you dreamed about in your childhood.”

 

Clank didn’t miss the way Ratchet’s face fell slightly, only for something akin to a poker face to take its place a moment later.

 

“Well, er… it’s kinda… embarrassing,” he grinned and scratched at the back of his head. 

 

“I only ask because, although we have known each other for a long time, I know little about your life before you met me. Though, you do not have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable,” Clank quickly explained. Ratchet, still smiling, only shook his head.

 

“No no, it’s fine.” He paused to take a deep breath and exhaled. “As you know, I was the only Lombax around, and I didn’t exactly have a lot of friends. I’ll spare you any boring details, but the point is that I had wanted friends more than anything else as a kid.

 

When I got older, I guess I just… stopped caring about that sort of thing, and really wanted to leave Veldin. I wanted to travel and... just see what the universe had to offer, y’know?”

 

Clank sat quietly and pondered about the answer he’d received. Naturally, Ratchet would be vague with his response. He never really was one for nostalgia or touchy-feely situations, after all.

 

So he was understandably surprised when Ratchet suddenly scooped him up in a hug.

 

“Wha-”

 

“I just thought of something… about wanting a friend and wanting to explore the galaxy? Well, meeting you made both of those dreams come true. I hadn’t really thought about it before… but… thanks, Clank.” He still seemed a little embarrassed, but Ratchet smiled earnestly at his small friend, and Clank couldn’t help but smile back as he returned the hug.

 

“The pleasure is all mine.”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Eradicate_ **

 

One look at the workbench could show anyone all of the unfinished projects and half-written schematics that lay scattered around. Ratchet had a tendency to start up projects, only to leave them for an unknown amount of time and come back to them later at his convenience.

 

This time, however, said Lombax was hard at work on a Mr. Zurkon unit. He had been in deep concentration for the past hour when Clank finally found him.

 

“Ah, there you are, Ratchet. I was beginning to think you had left without telling me.” Clank took notice of the open Mr. Zurkon unit then. “Are you making weapon upgrades?”

 

“Sort of… Mr. Zurkon is pretty tough, but I’m seeing if I can give him more firepower… and tone down his attitude a bit. He CAN be a little overbearing and rude sometimes, y’know?” Ratchet replied with a smirk.

 

“So I have noticed. I agree that it may be beneficial if he had a little more self-control, rather than shoot at anything that moves.”

 

“Yeah! ...Okay, time to see if this works.” Ratchet closed the panel and activated Mr. Zurkon. The robot slowly floated in the air a short ways away from them. In an instant, the robot’s normally glowing blue eyes suddenly changed to a piercing red, as it equipped its new and improved guns.

 

“ **MR. ZURKON WAS BORN TO KILL!** ”

 

“Oh crap! RUN RUN  **RUN** !!” Ratchet scooped up Clank in his arms and leapt through the open window of the garage and began sprinting to safety.

 

“Ratchet, what happened?!” Clank shouted as gunfire flew past them at an alarming rate.

 

“I probably connected some of the inner circuitry wrong! I can fix this, though, so don’t-  _ EEP _ !” He quickly picked up the pace as he felt his tail get singed from a stray shot.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Cap_ **

 

“Helloooo? Clank, you in there, buddy?”

 

Once again, the Lombax received no response. He had been trying to get the small warbot’s attention for the past 10 minutes or so after he had an idea on how to go about making Aphelion’s ignition system run faster. However, the warbot in question was deeply entranced by the book he was reading. Ratchet peered down at the pages, and found it was beyond his understanding and interest.

 

Puzzled, Ratchet stared at Clank for a few minutes. He’d tried everything from calling his name, tapping on his head, making weird faces at him… normally, Clank was very attentive, and would respond almost instantly when he was called upon, but this was very bizarre. He briefly considered stealing the book from him, but this would only serve to make Clank angry, and he definitely wouldn’t listen to him then.

 

Ratchet scratched at his head for a moment before an idea suddenly came to him. He grinned as he pulled his cap off his head.

 

_ He’ll HAVE to notice this _ , he thought as he gently placed the cap on Clank’s head instead. It hung at an awkward angle due to the antenna on top. Ratchet snickered at the sight- the cap was much too big for his small friend, and it just looked plain funny.

 

“Ratchet, what are you doing?” Clank had noticed the change and blinked in confusion, making Ratchet laugh harder.

 

“You weren’t paying attention! I’ve been trying to get your attention for like, hours!” Ratchet exclaimed after he regained some control. It was an exaggeration, of course, but Clank expected no less. He took the cap off and handed it back to the smiling Lombax.

 

“In all seriousness, though,” Ratchet continued, adjusting his ears around the cap, “this didn’t look half bad on you. We should get you one!”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Sweet_ **

 

“Oh, baking again?”

  
Ratchet walked into the kitchen to find Clank hard at work, several ingredients and various other food items littering the countertops.

 

“Of course. This cake will hopefully be completed by the end of the day. Tomorrow is Miss Apogee’s birthday, after all,” Clank replied, not looking up from his mixing bowl.

 

“Ah, that’s right! I still need to call her to see if she’s busy…” Ratchet tapped his chin thoughtfully, then glanced down at the decorative cake toppings and pieces that would no doubt be added on later. They were divided up evenly and organized carefully in small bowls by color, shape, and size. The arrangement had Clank’s name written all over it, and Ratchet smirked at the thought. He reached into one of the bowls of candy and popped a couple small, spherical-shaped pieces in his mouth.

 

“Ratchet, those are for the cake, don’t eat them,” Clank chided lightly. Ratchet shrugged in response.

 

“Cake’s not gonna be done for another couple hours, right? You shouldn’t leave them out if you don’t want them to be eaten.”

 

“You can be so immature at times. Aside from that, I thought you didn’t like candy?” Clank finished pouring the cake mix into a rectangular glass tray, and hopped off his stool to open the oven. The mechanic crossed his arms and leaned against the counter.

 

“I don’t like it too much at the best of times, but hey, I can make some exceptions, right?” he grinned as he reached over and took a few more pieces.

 

“Ratchet!”

 

“I know, I know, they’re for the cake. Ya’ broken record,” Ratchet teased, sticking his tongue out. Clank shook his head, smiling at his friend’s childish nature. For the next 10 minutes, he tried- unsuccessfully- to shoo the mischievous Lombax out of the kitchen.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Giddy_ **

 

Ratchet was practically bouncing in place with excitement as Clank handed him the newly upgraded Peacemaker.

 

“Aw, Clank, buddy! You shouldn’t have!” He exclaimed as he inspected the gun with glee. Clank smiled and hopped onto Ratchet’s back, reattaching himself to the harness.

 

“It’s no trouble at all. I was very fortunate to have found that Raritanium patch while on my walk yesterday.”

 

“You said it! Say… you think I can… uh, test this out? In the desert, maybe?” Ratchet asked with a mix of hesitation and hopefulness. Clank had, lately, found himself scolding the Lombax for being wasteful with ammunition by just “testing” weapons out.

 

Ah, but how could he possibly deny him this pleasure? He decided to concede to Ratchet’s wishes, just this once.

 

“I think that would be a good idea. We need to make sure there are no issues with the new upgrades, so they will prove more effective in battle.” Clank had offered up this excuse, knowing full well of his friend’s true intentions.

 

“Alright! Let’s go!” The Lombax leapt up and raced out the door with Clank and the Peacemaker in tow. For the next few hours, anyone who was in the vicinity could only hear powerful explosions and giddy laughter ringing out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm looking forward to working with the word prompts that I've been given recently! The parts of this story are released in sets of 8, so I'll be kinda picking and choosing what word goes where, and whatnot.
> 
> In this chapter, I used "CANDY CANDY" from JubyPhonic for the prompt "Sweet".
> 
> As always, thanks again for reading, and if you have any word prompts for me, let me know! Love you!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have over 50 new words to work with now! Like always, if you have a suggestion, by all means, please tell me! I have a list that I can pull words off of! I loved making this set, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Oh, and a quick note I forgot to add to chapter 3: for the prompt "Freedom", in case you were wondering, yes I was inspired by Treasure Planet! :)

**_Nightmare_ **

 

Ratchet’s eyes suddenly shot open, all senses set to full-panic mode. He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes while he tried to calm his racing heart down. When he could breathe normally again, he glanced around his room, noting that it was still the middle of the night. 

 

He huffed wearily and ran a hand over his face. As usual, he couldn’t remember what he had dreamt about, but the lingering feelings of despair told him he probably didn’t want to know.

 

Well, he was wide awake now, so no point in trying to go back to sleep right away. Not that he really wanted to, anyways. For the time being, he had two options: wake up Clank so he wouldn’t be alone for the next few hours, or go outside for the fresh air he so desperately felt he needed. But Clank shouldn’t be interrupted from sleep-mode over petty issues like bad dreams, he figured, so he decided on the latter.

 

Ratchet carefully pulled himself up and out bed and began making his way to the bedroom door as quietly as he could. However, he winced when his foot hit the side of a desk in the room, toppling over a small stack of books. Several noisy bangs echoed through the room as a result.

 

“Ratchet?” Clank’s voice piped up confusedly in the dark. Ratchet sighed before answering.

 

“...Hey buddy. Didn’t mean to wake you, sorry about that.”  _ So much for option 2…. _

 

“It is 2:13 a.m., Ratchet. Why are you awake?”

 

“I… uh…” he grasped for an excuse, but nothing came to him, “...had a bad dream. Not that I can remember anything about it, of course, but…” he absentmindedly began rubbing an arm, avoiding his friend’s gaze.

 

Clank watched him curiously for a moment, before realizing he had nothing else to say.

 

“...You do not wish to return to sleep?”

 

At this point, Ratchet found the floor particularly interesting, and the warbot watched knowingly. This was certainly not the first time he was woken up by the mechanic leaving the room after a nightmare- though Ratchet never knew this- but he had always thought to spare his friend’s pride by leaving him be. This time, though, it couldn’t be helped, and he finally decided to do something about it.

 

He thought for a moment before hopping off his bed, marching up to Ratchet, taking his hand, and leading him back to bed.

 

“Hey, what’re you-”

 

“In times of discomfort, discussing the issue is usually the greatest cure. However, if you cannot remember your dream, then there is nothing to talk about.”

 

“Where are you going with this?”

 

“The best alternative is the companionship of another. If you are not alone, you will most likely feel much better.” Clank pulled back the covers and gestured for him to lie back down.

 

Ratchet complied, and was surprised when Clank joined him and promptly cuddled up to him.

 

“It is not much, but I hope my presence will provide some form of comfort,” the bot stated simply. Ratchet stared in awe for a second before smiling and wrapping his arms around his small friend.

 

“You kidding? You just being here is more than enough for me. Thanks, pal.”

 

They both eventually drifted off to sleep and, for once, Ratchet dreamt of much more pleasant things.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Sushi_ **

 

Clank watched with slight amusement as once again, Ratchet struggled to pick up the sushi from his plate with a pair of chopsticks. They’d been at this for nearly an hour, and, if possible, he seemed to be getting worse at using them.

 

“It is not that hard. Hold them like this, see?” Clank held up his own pair of chopsticks, tapping them together twice for good measure.

 

“Yeah, except I’ve got five fingers, buddy. You’ve got three,” he pointed out, before laying his head on the table, poking at the sushi with one chopstick boredly, “why can’t they just use forks? They’re so much easier….”

 

Suddenly, Ratchet sat up as an idea came to him. Still wielding the single chopstick, Clank watched in horror as he swiftly brought it down and stabbed it through the center of the sushi.

 

“Ratchet! Such abhorable table manners are greatly looked down upon in their culture! You’re lucky we’re at home practicing, and not out in public!” he reprimanded. The Lombax merely smirked at him as he ate the destroyed sushi roll.

 

“Hey, it works, right? Just like a fork! This is much better!”

 

Clank groaned and shook his head. At the rate they were going, Ratchet’s date tomorrow night would turn out to be a disaster.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Thrill_ **

 

Ratchet and Clank each had different limits as to how far they would go for a thrill, Clank’s limit being considerably shorter than Ratchet’s. This was precisely the reason why he was known as the “voice of reason” in their partnership.

 

This was also the reason why he currently had a death grip on his friend’s shoulders.

 

“This is a terrible idea, Ratchet! The chances of us becoming injured or worse are very high!” Clank shouted, desperate to talk some sense into him. Ratchet rolled his shoulders slightly and tossed a casual grin towards the warbot.

 

“Well, we’ll just have to be  _ extra  _ careful then, right?”

 

Clank only had time to close his eyes and silently pray that nothing would go wrong as Ratchet made a running start, then leapt off the cliff into a freefall towards the landscape below.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_King_ **

 

“I am estimating a 92% chance that you will lose. You cannot win this battle,” Clank stated simply, a smug grin on his face. Ratchet drummed his fingers on the table with irritation, a frown and flattened ears perfectly displaying his frustration.

 

“Shut up! I’ve got you on the ropes, and you know it! Playing tough won’t help you here!” the Lombax retorted. He briefly considered his next moves, before finally selecting a piece and moving it forward with obvious hesitation. Clank, however, didn’t need a second thought as he selected his own piece and moved it towards Ratchet’s side of the board.

 

“Checkmate.” If he could, the bot seemed to grin wider as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms behind his head. Ratchet stared dumbfoundedly at the chessboard for a few silent beats. 

 

“...Say… what was the other 8%?”

 

“That you would surrender, as my victory was imminent.”

 

He seemed to relax for a moment, a frighteningly serene look on his face as he quietly stood from his chair.

 

In one swift motion, he sent the table- chessboard and all- flying.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Lost_ **

 

“Goddammit, I KNOW I left it right here!” the mechanic cried out in frustration. He had been neck-deep in a project for the last few days, only stopping to eat or sleep. He was forced to stop, however, when he discovered that one of the tools necessary to continue working was missing. He leapt around the garage, searching under papers and bits of scrap metal. Clank watched him search, but said nothing. He smirked to himself secretly, double-checking that his inner compartment was shut tight. He would give the tool back later, of course, but Ratchet was going to wear himself down if he didn’t take a break from this project soon.

 

_ He will most certainly be upset when he realizes that I took it, so I may as well let him continue searching just a little while longer _ , Clank decided as he quietly left the room when Ratchet wasn’t looking.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Mimic_ **

 

“Okay, okay, how about this one?” Ratchet cleared his throat before continuing, “ **Hello, citizens! Today is going to be yet another Qwark-tastic day!** ”

 

The boys broke into peals of laughter at the terrible Qwark impression. One of their favorite pastimes while flying between planets was to mimic anyone they knew, and whoever pulled off the best impression won.

 

“Alright, I will give it a try.” Clank sat up a little straighter, “ **Ah, son of a Qwark, my Omniwrench is stuck in that tree! Clank, give me a boost!** ”

 

“...Huh, who’s that supposed to- hey!” Ratchet cried out indignantly as Clank began laughing once again. He tried his best to look upset, but quickly joined Clank’s laughter.

 

“That actually wasn’t half-bad! I think you win this round, pal,” Ratchet finally conceded.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Eyes_ **

 

One of the perks of being best friends for such a long time, Ratchet figured, was that he was able to tell Clank’s mood just by looking at his eyes.

 

They brightened when he was excited or interested in something, dimmed when he was upset or frustrated, and even seemed to waver when he was in deep thought.

 

_ I’m like a mind reader, I guess _ , he entertained himself with this thought.

 

“What’s the matter?” Clank asked when he took notice of Ratchet’s prolonged stare and grin.

 

“Oh, nothing at all, just thinking…” he replied, a hint of a smirk in his voice.

 

Little did Ratchet know, Clank, too, fancied himself somewhat a mind reader, as he was also able to tell his friend’s mood just by looking at his eyes in very much the same way.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Bullet_ **

 

The very second Ratchet’s body hit the dirt, Clank wrenched himself off the harness and moved to roll his friend over. 

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, and yet in a matter of moments, too. Just one well-aimed shot and one poorly-timed landing was all it took for the drone to bring Ratchet down. 

 

For Clank, time almost slowed to a stop when he felt the sudden sharp impact and heard the short grunt of pain from his friend. Thankfully, the Lombax also had splendid aim and destroyed the drone within seconds of his injury, before collapsing face first onto the ground. The area was now clear of any enemies, giving Clank a moment to survey the damage.

 

Relief flooded his processors when he noted that Ratchet was still breathing, indicating that the bullet most likely hadn’t touched his heart, otherwise he might’ve died right away. Panic quickly returned, however, when he noticed that he wasn’t so much as breathing as he was almost gasping for air. Blood seeped through his shirt from the left side of his chest.

 

_ Punctured lung _ , was the first thought to run through his mind as he quickly began searching through his database for proper first aid.  _ If only he had been a few more centicubits to the right…. _

 

“Ratchet... can you hear me…?” the bot asked hesitantly, and set himself to work pulling him towards a nearby stone wall to lean him against. If anything, lying flat most likely made it difficult to breathe, and being out in the open defenseless wasn’t a very smart idea, either. He heard the Lombax cough harshly, then shift slightly in his grasp.

 

“What… happened…?” he ground out shakily between breaths. Blood trickled down his chin and the sides of his face, further proving Clank was correct in his observation. He  _ hated _ being right sometimes.

 

“You’ve… been critically injured. I need you to sit up here. It may relieve some of the pain,” he gestured to the wall. Ratchet eyed it for a second and, with great effort, slowly began pushing himself upright with the last reserves of his dwindling strength, wincing all the while.

 

“I’m gonna… feel this tomorrow, huh?” he grinned weakly as he settled in his seat. Clank couldn’t help the small, sad smile as he gently shook his head. How he could joke around in such a dire situation was beyond him. He tugged one of Ratchet’s gloves off, balled it up tightly, then pressed it into the wound, eliciting a jolt and a pained hiss from his friend.

 

“Hold this here. This will staunch the bleeding and prevent any more air than necessary from escaping,” he placed one of the Lombax’s hands on the balled up cloth to hold it in place, “in the meantime, I will find some nanotech. Although I am worried about leaving the bullet lodged in your chest when you’re healed….”

 

“...Nanites will… probably dissolve it…” Ratchet replied almost absently after a moment, his words slurring together slightly. His breathing grew slightly heavier, and the rapid blood loss was starting to take its toll, it seemed. Clank brushed off the farfetched statement and pushed the idea of surgeries out of his mind. They would worry about that later.

 

“I will be back shortly… please hang on just a little longer.” The bot took a few reluctant steps backwards, not taking his eyes off of his half-conscious friend. Ratchet didn’t respond, but watched him leave. As soon as he was out of sight, Clank broke into a mad dash around the area. Determination surged through him as he began frantically searching for any nearby nanotech he could use.

 

He had already watched Ratchet die once, and he was not going to lose him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa whoa, what a depressing note to end this on, huh?
> 
> Actually, "Bullet" was VERY hard for me to write. Like, I would sit for hours staring at a blank document trying to figure out how best to approach this one, then convince my fingers to type out the words. To put it simply, this one went beyond my newly-established comfort zone as a writer. However, when I started writing, I just couldn't stop. Then, after I had finished it, I kept going back to it to read it again and again, making changes and still disbelieving that this bit actually came from me! I'll stop being narcissistic, but my point is, don't be afraid to write something! Go outside of your comfort zone- you may just surprise yourself!
> 
> Anyways, along with more word-prompt suggestions, please tell me: what kind of themes do you want me to write more of? Humor? Heart-to-heart? Action? I'm genuinely curious to know what you guys like to see!
> 
> Thank you again, my lovelies! My musical inspiration for the majority of this set was GlitchXCity's Route 47 HeartGold and SoulSilver remix! See you soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a couple snippets in here that could actually do well as stand-alone stories. I even considered giving "Lombax Nip" it's own chapter, but alas, we'll save it for another day. ^^
> 
> I want to thank anon (on ff.net) for the comment about Clank's speech pattern. He doesn't use contractions (and subconsciously, I knew this, but kept writing them anyways? XD), so I've fixed the way he speaks in this set! Thanks!
> 
> It seems a lot of people lean towards the heart-to-heart and humorous side of my stories (with a mix of action and angst- hey, I can be a sinner too, can't I?), so I will definitely be writing more of those in the future! Thankfully, those are among my favorite genres!
> 
> Enjoy! I had a great time with these ones!

**_Lombax Nip_ **

 

The marketplace was bustling with more customers than usual. There were always plenty of crowds to wade through, especially on weekends, but some famous specialty gardeners from around the galaxy had set up a few stands and drew out people from all corners to view their wares, causing an even bigger commotion.

 

If he didn't owe Clank for picking up the newest game system for him when he was busy, this is definitely the last place Ratchet would be right now.

 

He stood off to the side, away from the busy crowd, and looked over the shopping list Clank had given him for what felt like the 100th time.

 

“Oh, come on, Clank! I don't even know what half of these are… And how do you even pronounce that?” he scrutinized the list disdainfully for a few minutes before sighing and preparing himself to be swept away by the raucous crowd…

 

...only to stop short when he caught a whiff of the strangest aroma.

 

Ratchet whipped his head around, eyes skimming the many stalls, before he caught the scent again and made a beeline for the source.

Within moments, he found himself at a tea vendor’s stall, the owner brewing several different pots of tea to give away as samples for curious customers. Various smells assaulted the senses, but whatever had caught Ratchet’s attention stood out strongly among the rest.

 

“‘Hoy there, sonny! What can I get for ya?” When the sprightly woman noticed him standing there, she brushed her hands off on her apron before setting them on her hips and smiled brightly.

 

“Hey, uhh… Sorry, there's something here that smells, well… really bizarre. Like, REALLY bizarre. But not in a bad way!” he quickly added on when she quirked an eyebrow. She pondered his words for a moment, before turning to the tea bags behind her.

 

“You probably caught a whiff of my newest stock of tea! I'll admit, it IS rather strange, but hey, people seem to like it, so that's fine with me!” She poured a small cup of tea and offered it to him. “Want a sample? It’s rare, ya know? Comes from the  _ desolate Fastoon _ ..!” She emphasized its mysteriousness with a wiggle of her fingers.

 

Ratchet didn't fancy himself much of a tea drinker, so he was ready to decline until she mentioned the derelict Lombax planet. If it came from Fastoon… Could the Lombaxes have known about this substance? If it really was supposed to be used for tea, perhaps this, then, was the reason why he took notice of its smell so easily. He figured it may be some subconscious instinct that attracted him to it, so he accepted the cup, murmured a quick “thank you”, and took a sip.

 

Almost immediately, Ratchet felt his whole body relax greatly, nearly to the point of collapsing. And while the taste wasn't particularly great, he found himself drinking more of it. 

To his mortification, he began purring- loudly, at least to his own ears. He quickly clasped a hand over his mouth and hunched his shoulders forward, attempting to stop the involuntary action. He sincerely hoped that Clank didn't know about  _ that  _ little perk that happened every now and then. That would just be yet another weapon in the warbot’s arsenal, should he ever want him to do something against his will….

 

Once he’d regained some margin of control, Ratchet straightened up and offered a friendly smile in response to her perplexed stare.

 

“...How much?”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Resist_ **

 

“No.”

 

“But Claaaank!”

 

“No, Ratchet.”

 

Over the years, Clank had learned to have an incredible amount of patience with the trigger-happy Lombax, but firing off the Plasma Coil in their home had been the last straw. He had since taken to confiscating any weapon he could find (as he was certain Ratchet kept a few hidden in secret places, as well as on his person), and was currently, desperately, trying to teach him some self-control.

 

And he found that he was failing miserably.

 

Ratchet had unleashed a horde of Agents of Doom, but rather than use them for their intended destructive purposes, he chose to take advantage of their adorable looks.

 

“Pleeeeeeease?”

 

_ He has taken to begging now… this is quite unfair _ , Clank thought miserably. Despite his better judgement, he turned to glance at the group, and was immediately assaulted by a plethora of puppy-dog eyes.

 

He’d be damned if he relented so easily, but, through experience, Ratchet had seemingly learned how to intensify the look, be it a slight tilt of the head, or proper lighting, or….

 

Clank had done his best to ignore the horde of beggars before him, but sweet chirping sounds from the tiny bots caused his will to crumble to pieces. And he could swear he felt the remnants of his pride fade away when he finally caved in, slowly handing the Plasma Coil back to his friend’s eager hands.

 

“Do not think that I am letting you off the hook, however! I will give you one more chance-”

 

Before Clank could finish his threat, a blast unleashed itself from the Plasma Coil’s barrel, ricocheting around the room before dissipating in midair. The sudden cacophony sent the Agents of Doom into a fluttering panic, and they began wildly hopping about searching for a target to destroy while shrieking angrily.

 

Amongst the chaos and scorch-marked walls, Clank shot Ratchet a withering glare, to which the Lombax responded with a sheepish grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

 

“...Uh…. ehehe… oops?” 

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Small_ **

 

Ratchet knew exactly how it felt to be small. Though he could relentlessly tease his warbot friend about his size, the exact feeling of “small” came to him in a different sort of way. One that was best described as loneliness, a sorrowfully-familiar feeling to himself.

 

The dynamic duo had faced many a threat and daunting task, but with the two of them working together, nothing could possibly tear them down. However, during the 2 years Ratchet had been without Clank, it felt as though the universe itself was hovering right over him, ready to collapse at any given moment.

 

And knowing that his best friend was lost out there somewhere, Ratchet had never felt so incredibly small in his entire life.

 

Now, as they sat side-by-side on the garage’s overhang in the Kyzil Plateau, the galaxy would be damned if anything could stop them.

 

The clear night sky had been particularly marvellous tonight, and Clank had derived much pleasure in pointing out every constellation he could find- something he often couldn’t do on Veldin since there seemed to be a constant presence of clouds. 

 

Clank had long since powered down into sleep-mode, but Ratchet remained alert, albeit relaxed. He glanced down at the bot leaning into his side, and with a smile, he gently wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer.

 

_ One small warbot, and one small Lombax… we form a really great team _ , he mused to himself.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Root Beer_ **

 

“Remind me to NEVER install a hyper thruster onto a hoverboard again!” Ratchet complained loudly as he and Clank entered their home. The Lombax in question had, once again, tinkered a little too much with his projects. He returned home covered from head to toe in cuts, scrapes, and bruises after a nasty fall on the hoverboard race training course.

 

“Perhaps if you improved your diet, you would have been able to control the board with more ease,” Clank offered, half seriously and half amusedly.

 

“What was that?” Ratchet asked innocently, cracking open a can of root beer and taking a swig. He sighed contentedly, ignoring the unimpressed look from Clank as he walked past him towards the bathroom to clean up.

 

“That is the 4th can you have consumed today, Ratchet. Water is a healthier alternative, and is a more suitable substance for your body after all that you have endured today.” The expected lecture came sooner than Ratchet had thought, and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the familiarity of it all.

 

“Relax, tin can! I’m still young, and plus, I work out all the time, so my body can handle it! No problem!” he emphasized with a wink and a flex of his biceps. Clank shook his head in response, poking him in the belly as he moved past him to retrieve some nanotech.

 

“Your sugar intake is cancelling out all of your ‘hard work’, if the 2.00043 seconds you lasted on the hoverboard is any indication,” Clank smirked victoriously, leaving his friend gaping at him as though he had just nailed him in the gut instead of gently prodding him.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Temptation_ **

 

The festival on Pokitaru was stunning- as to be expected of the exquisite ocean planet. Brightly colored streamers and decorations littered the many islands, and crowds of people attended to join the festivities.

 

“Okay, this is TOTALLY awesome and all, but do they  _ really  _ need another excuse to throw wild parties and celebrations?”

 

Not unexpectedly, Ratchet and Clank had been slightly overwhelmed by the attention they had receiving. The festival was created to celebrate the first day of Summer (“But it’s ALWAYS Summer there!” Ratchet had responded to the news, exasperated), and the heroic duo had been cordially invited to attend.

 

This was not say they didn’t enjoy themselves, as there were plenty of games and challenges for athletic persons to participate in. They found themselves wrapped up in activities nearly the entire day, whether they approached the various stands of their own volition, or if they were coaxed and/or practically dragged to other booths by their excited fans, and had won plenty of bolts.

 

The boys were just about to sit down for a well-needed rest, when they heard a vendor begin calling out to the crowd.

 

“ **Step right up, folks! Here’s your chance to win it big or lose it all! Bet your bolts, and see if you have the style and skill to double your prize money!** ”

 

As it turned out, the challenge required the participant to leap off one of the cliffs into a free fall, and perform as many tricks as possible for the highest score before hitting the water below. Naturally, Ratchet was very excited, but Clank feared for his friend’s health and safety. Did Ratchet really not know that hitting the surface of a body of water at high enough speeds would be similar to hitting concrete?

 

“So, how much am I allowed to bet?” The energetic Lombax questioned the vendor with the hopes of earning as much money as possible.

 

“As much as you want, kiddo! All of it, if you’re feeling lucky enough!”

 

“Ooh…”Ratchet turned to Clank with a sly grin and a mischievous glint in his eye, “ _ tempting _ ...!” Clank groaned and resisted admonishing his childish behavior. This  _ was  _ his forte, after all.

 

At the end of the day, an exhausted warbot and an elated (and slightly damp) Lombax returned home.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Pull_ **

 

Clank stared disbelievingly at the lump on the bed. There usually wasn’t a problem with waking up early in the morning, but something told him that the new video game system was the reason his friend was sleeping in. It was nearly noon, for goodness sakes!

 

“Ratchet, it is time to get up. You are wasting the day sleeping.” He shook the sleepy Lombax gently, but received a groan in response.

 

“...Five more minutes…” The cliché plea for more sleep warbled out, slurred words and all, and Clank was unimpressed.

 

“You are acting childish again,” he pointed out.

 

“And you’re being ruuuude,” he retorted lethargically, even weakly waving a hand in his direction, as though trying to shoo the warbot away.

 

Well, he certainly wasn’t going to sit around and accept that.

 

Clank sighed before taking his friend’s outstretched arm carefully, then giving a sudden yank.

 

“ **GAH!!** ” Ratchet cried out as he was dumped onto the ground unceremoniously. He sat up quickly and scowled at the warbot, rubbing his sore muscles.

 

“Perhaps you will consider this the next time you decide to stay up late playing holovideo games,” Clank responded in turn, an amused smile gracing his features.

 

“Yeah, whatever. Although, now that I’m awake…” Ratchet gave him a sly smirk before racing off to the living room to play his game again. Clank watched after him in stunned silence for a moment before following after. Defeatedly, he realized this was going to be the new morning routine for at least the next 2 weeks.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Rain_ **

 

“Take extra caution not get sick this time, understood?” Clank ordered as he fixed the collar of his friend’s raincoat.

 

“ _ Yes, Mom _ ,” Ratchet drawled sarcastically, an eyeroll and an amused smile put on display. Unlike his home planet Veldin, Kerwan received its fair share of gloomy weather from time to time, and Clank had thought to come prepared. Or rather, a little too prepared, if anyone asked Ratchet’s opinion.

 

“Hey hey, stop it! This is plenty!” he exclaimed when Clank bought out a scarf and a pair of mittens.

 

“I do not wish to risk your health in this sort of weather again. You were sick for nearly 3 days before, remember?” the warbot pointed out.

  
“Yeah, I had a  _ cold _ . Seriously, it’s rain, not snow. The jacket is enough,” Ratchet retorted, stepping away from the bundle of clothes that were presented to him. Clank considered this for a moment, before relenting with a sigh. Taking this as a sign of victory, Ratchet smirked, before grabbing an umbrella (he would have gone without it, but thought it would be best to avoid getting his friend on his case again) and beckoning him to follow.

 

“Stores are closing soon, so let’s grab what we need and get back quickly, alright?”

 

The boys walked side by side without a word for the next few blocks, the gentle pitter-patter of droplets hitting the umbrella and sidewalk being the only sounds to break the silence. Occasionally, Ratchet would sneak a glance at Clank from the corner of his eye. He had promised he would try to “behave” this time, but rainy weather had a way of making him feel a little more playful than usual. They approached a particularly large puddle of water on the sidewalk, and that’s when he knew…

 

Some promises were just meant to be broken.

 

As soon as they reached the puddle, the Lombax dropped the umbrella, leapt into the air, and stomped down, causing a huge splash of water to engulf the pavement and Clank.

 

“Ratchet!” he cried out with half surprise and half irritation. His friend, however, could barely catch his breath from laughing so hard.

 

“You should’ve seen the look on your face!! Oh my god, I’m think I’m crying!” He was still doubled over with laughter as Clank glared at him, so he missed the sly grin that crossed the bot’s features. His chortling was brought to a grinding halt when he was suddenly doused with water. Clank giggled, using the umbrella as a shield as he began running down the road away from the crime scene.

 

“W-what?! Why you-!!” Ratchet sputtered incredulously, frozen in shock for only a moment longer before he began chasing after his friend. Clank was able to splash him several more times, while the umbrella proved to be quite effective against blocking Ratchet’s attacks.

 

As expected, Ratchet woke up with a bad cold the next day, and was reminded that he was the one who had started it, therefore he had no one to blame but himself. And he figured that no, he really couldn’t argue with that.

 

At least, until Clank brought out the awfully and overly bitter cold medicine.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Recognition_ **

 

The first feeling that came to him was the sensation of floating. No other “grounding” attributes made themselves known to him. Silence surrounded him; not a sound could be heard, and- he attempted to open is eyes, but to no avail- no sight. He remained floating in what he assumed was a void of some kind and attempted to move, even just a finger, but not even a muscle twitched in response.

 

So he was alone and couldn’t move to save himself. At first, he was slightly put-off; how had he even ended up here? Who put him here and left him by himself without even telling him? An uncertain amount of time passed before the feeling of irritation wore off, replaced by slight dysphoria and the barest hint of fear.

 

He was completely alone.

 

But… that couldn’t be right, could it? No, something about that statement felt wrong. “Alone” wasn’t something he used to describe himself… not for the past 10-something odd- years, anyways.

 

Ah, there it was: a fact, a memory about himself. He latched onto the thought desperately. Maybe, starting here, he could remember where he was, or-

 

The “barest hint of fear” escalated into something akin to horror when he realized he couldn’t even remember his own name. For a moment, he struggled until he regained control of his panicked mind and sporadic thoughts. He cleared his mind, and waited until he could feel himself calm down.

 

_ Start with basics… let’s start with the basics _ , and as he relaxed, different questions slowly came to him..

 

_ “What am I _ ?” … No, that was a complicated question, at least for now. He thought to try something easier, and the question “ _ What shape am I _ ?” appeared next. But that, too, was beyond him, so he dug even deeper, and found the question “ _ What color am I _ ?”

 

In an instant, bright and vivid hues of orange and yellow flooded his consciousness, and his body reflexively reeled at the sudden blast of new information. He attempted to get even more information by imagining “ _ Smooth or soft _ ?”, and immediately, the feeling of soft fur filled his senses. Now he was getting somewhere! He tried again with the question of his shape, and he could easily make out large ears, a tail, long feet, fluffy orange and yellow fur… a Lombax, he determined. He smiled victoriously, then realized that he could move now, but just barely. Fingers twitched irritably, and with dismay, he found that it took more energy to do than he had anticipated. He had remembered what he was, what he looked like… maybe now he could rest for a bit…

 

“Ratchet, hang on!!”

 

The sudden, familiar voice reignited his thoughts. Ratchet… was that the name of the one who just called out? He decided that no, the voice and name didn’t match up. The name had extreme recognizability, so he assumed that Ratchet must be his own name. And as he accepted this information, he could see himself much clearer than before. His pilot cap, his Omniwrench, himself fighting in various battles…

 

...himself being blasted off the edge of a cliff.

 

Panic overwhelmed him again as his mind raced to figure out what this could possibly mean. Did… was he dead now? But if he was dead, then who just called out to him? His eyes still wouldn’t reveal the answers to him, so he was left to gather up clues to find his way back. He figured going back to square one, the first piece of information he had obtained, would be a good place to start. So he wasn’t always alone. Did he have a partner? A sibling? A sidekick? ...A friend?

 

“You can hear me… right? Please wake up…”

 

_ Best friend _ , the answer provided itself to him easily when the voice was heard again. The voice didn’t sound organic (and at this moment, the word “squishies” popped into his head, which he dismissed quickly), so it might be a robot addressing him.

 

Starting at the beginning, he thought of what color this person might be, and sure enough, a mix of silver, green, and a small amount of red spilled into his thoughts. Smooth or soft? That one should’ve been obvious, but still the feeling of cool, smooth metal crept beneath his fingertips. Shape? … little, tiny, big green eyes, blinking red, silver body… definitely a robot of some kind, or warbot, his mind kindly provided.

 

“I am here, just… please…stay here...”

 

Warmth filled him to the core. He could recognize this tin can anywhere. His buddy, his pal, his best friend…

 

“...Clank…”

 

“Ratchet! Are you..?”

 

He was aware of something gripping his hand. The second voice that he’d heard sounded foreign yet familiar… hoarse and weakened, but it was most definitely his own. In that moment, however, pain washed over him, trickling slowly at first, before feeling like he had been hit with a RYNO. He groaned and tried to move, but was vaguely aware of someone gently holding him down.

 

“Please wait a moment before attempting to move. Miss Apogee has left to get more nanotech for you.”

 

He wondered what might’ve happened if he hadn’t heard Clank’s voice at the beginning. Maybe he would have actually died (though with this pain he was feeling, he jokingly thought death right now wouldn’t be so bad). The one who anchored him to the real world, urging him to hang on and stay…

 

He wearily opened his eyes, temporarily blinded by the sudden brightness filling his void-like prison. When his vision came into focus, he could see Clank’s worried expression hovering over him, small metal hands clutching his left hand tightly. The world around him was still blurred out, obscured by what appeared to be dust- was he at the bottom of a ravine? The question could wait for later, he decided.

 

He curled his fingers and held onto Clank’s hands as tightly as he could muster his strength to allow him to do.

 

“Ratchet?” Clank asked, surprise mixed with worry in his tone.

 

“... Thank you.” Ratchet responded simply, a small smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that wraps up set 5! Not sure what happened with the last snippet there... I kinda started writing with a small idea in mind, then kept writing until something way bigger and deeper than I had initially planned for popped up! It turned out alright, I think! Hopefully not too rushed! If you want to know what I was listening to the entire time I was writing this one, please search up "soothing relaxation 74" on Youtube! This song really completes the feeling...
> 
> Jokingly, I thought of this set as the "R" set, since the majority of word prompts used in this one begin with "R"!
> 
> Also, for "Lombax Nip", did you know that catnip can actually be brewed into tea? I actually had no idea until I did some more research into it after I had started writing that snippet. And working at a vet facility helps in knowing some of the behavior patterns of cats when exposed to the stuff, haha!
> 
> Anyways, hopefully I won't be gone for too long this time! Love you all! ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's been quite a while, hasn't it? I've had a hectic last few weeks, let me tell you.  
> I was also trying my best to participate in Nanowrimo, but it hasn't been working out, haha. On the bright side, I've written lots more this month than I have as of recently!
> 
> No angst or drama in this set, just the boys having a bit of fun and whatnot. I'll see about incorporating a heartfelt story into each set in the future, though (this was my intention around chapter 4, but I really couldn't come up with anything this time around)!

**_Spicy_ **

 

“More.”

 

Wide-eyed, the vendor added two more drops of hot sauce to the soup, and Ratchet rolled his eyes.

 

“I said more.  _ Please _ .”

 

Visibly shaken, the vendor handed the bottle of hot sauce to him instead, and promptly excused himself when Ratchet nonchalantly tipped the remaining half of the bottle into his meal.

 

“The inhabitants of this planet are most likely unaccustomed to such… unique tastes,” Clank offered quietly as they sat down at a table.

 

“Well, sucks to be them, considering I grew up on a literal desert planet. Everything we ate had a kick to it,” Ratchet replied matter-of-factly, before taking a spoonful of the soup and growing quiet.

 

“...Is it to your preference?” Clank finally broke the silence when he made no obvious feelings about the meal known.

 

“I dunno, it could probably use a little more zing. Damn, the stuff they have here is waaay below mild.”

 

The two of them continued sitting in silence, the Lombax scrutinizing the meal as if in deep concentration, before standing and leaving the table quickly, making a beeline for the poor, trembling vendor from before.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Apology_ **

 

It didn't take much to make Clank mad, this much Ratchet knew, but it was definitely bad when Clank was so upset he would barely speak to him. Yet for some reason, he couldn't stop himself from laughing at the poor warbot’s expense.

 

“I said I was sorry..!” he tried apologizing through his chortling. He was met with a very distraught look, which in turn made him laugh even more.

 

Ever-rambunctious, it seemed Ratchet was constantly looking for a new way to get his warbot friend to play. This time, a surprise paintball fight had occurred, and though Clank had gotten a few good shots in, he himself was the embodiment of defeat. Splotches of green, purple, and orange coated his body. To make matters worse, some of it had seeped into his inner workings, making it a challenge to move. Ratchet had made quick work of opening his panel to start cleaning up, but not without teasing him all the while.

 

“I hope you are happy with yourself. Fur is much easier to clean than metal and wire.”

 

“Ah, he finally speaks! Good to know you’re not too upset with me, pal!”

 

The smirk was still present on Ratchet’s face, and though it should've made him even more upset, Clank found himself relaxing just a little bit. He certainly wouldn't let him know that, though.

 

“You will make sure to clean every nook and cranny! Every last corner!” Clank commanded. Ratchet tried desperately to suppress another giggle, and a pointed glare was shot in his direction.

 

“I mean it, Ratchet! I will not allow for rust to settle in early because of this!”

 

“Yes sir! But… seriously, I am sorry about this. Maybe I took it a little too far this time?” he offered a friendly smile, to which Clank sighed and allowed him to work without any more interruptions. He supposed this was fine.

 

He would simply have to find a way to properly exact his revenge.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Tourist_ **

 

Sitting down to take a breather should have been no problem for the boys. The newest training course proved to be no challenge for the heroic duo, and, obviously, there seemed to be nothing unexpected there.

 

That is, of course, except for the tourists.

 

For whatever reason the boys couldn't fathom, the new training course became something of a tourist attraction, with people taking pictures, walking, and standing just about everywhere. Neither Ratchet nor Clank would have cared or paid any mind to them, if they'd only watch where they were going.

 

“Dammit, that hurts!!” Ratchet moaned when Clank placed an ice pack on his tail.

 

“Keep the ice there to reduce the amount of bruising and swelling,” the warbot responded calmly.

 

“‘ _ Ooh, look at this cool thing! I’ve gotta take a picture! And what's that over there?’  _ ...We were sitting against a  _ wall _ , people!” Ratchet shook his fists in the air angrily. The fur on the end of his tail bristled with his rage before he suddenly winced and readjusted the ice pack. “I just wish they weren't so careless. That was my literal  _ spine _ they stomped on.”

 

“It was an accident, and they did apologize for it.”

 

“Mumbling ‘sorry’ and shuffling away doesn't count as an apology, though.” He winced again, rubbing his sore tail gently.

 

“They most likely do not see many inhabitants with tails wherever they come from,” Clank offered up another excuse, to which Ratchet met with a pout.

 

“You're never on my side, what's with that?”

 

“Now Ratchet, I am only trying to view the situation from their perspective. And besides, you cannot fault them for something you yourself have done in the past as well, now can you?”

 

“What? What do you mean by that?” Ratchet responded with a perplexed stare. Clank’s expression shifted into one of mild amusement as he recounted some older memories.

 

“Surely, you have not forgotten the numerous times you mistakenly stepped on an antennae or two, or elongated toes?” The warbot crossed his arms, challengingly, as if beckoning Ratchet to try and tell him he was wrong. But his friend only blinked before turning his gaze back to his tail.

 

“Point taken. Still, this place is bustling with people. It wouldn't kill them to actually pay attention to their surroundings for once, right?”

 

“ I am inclined to agree with that stateme--” Clank had started, but was interrupted when Ratchet yelped and quickly yanked his tail away from more incoming tourist feet, glaring daggers at each one that passed by.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Mirror_ **

 

Clank hopped into the bathroom counter and glanced into the mirror at himself. One would think a robot wouldn't need to worry about appearances, but he would beg to differ. He didn't spend all of that time as the charming Secret Agent Clank only to act sloppy in the future, after all.

 

Clank busied himself by wiping all over his body, head, arms, and legs with a washcloth and just a hint of polish. He equated this procedure to being similar to brushing ones hair, or washing their face. 

 

Once content, he picked up an oiling can and lubricated his joints and some inner workings. While this was normally Ratchet’s job, Clank figured he knew his own body well enough to know where exactly more oil was needed.

 

After testing his arms and legs, he wiped his eye lenses off and looked himself over in the mirror again. 

 

“Satisfying. I believe I am fully prepared for the day,” he spoke quietly. A curious thought hit him then and, though the bathroom door was closed, he glanced around, as if making sure he was the only one in the room. He began posing in all of the coolest ways he could remember from his time as a secret agent. He always saw the pictures after a photoshoot, but seeing the poses as they were happening were always somewhat of a self-indulgent satisfaction for him.

 

“ Clank! Are you done yet? I'm gonna leave without you!” Ratchet was heard calling from somewhere outside the bathroom. Ever the impatient Lombax, but Clank still giggled quietly, hopping off the counter to exit the room as he did so.

 

“I will be right there, Ratchet.”

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Door_ **

 

“Multi-tasking is not a favorable habit, Ratchet. You should be more careful,” Clank spoke up, guiding his friend around obstacles in the room. Said friend had his nose in a book, learning how to heighten the range of Aphelion’s transmitter signals. It would have been no problem if he had simply sat down like Clank had suggested, but obviously his advice had gone in one ear and out the other.

 

“Ratchet, are you listening to me at all?”

 

“Uh-huh, something about multi-colored habitats, no problemo,” Ratchet responded absently.

 

“That is not what I said at all.”

 

“That's good to hear, buddy.”

 

Clank stopped walking and watched amusedly as Ratchet walked straight into a door that had “pull” written on the handle.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Chocolate_ **

 

“Here.”

 

Startled, Ratchet glanced up at Clank in confusion as a cutely wrapped box was tossed into his lap.

 

“W-what's this for?” He picked up the package and inspected it carefully. It was simple in design: a small circular shape with red and gold coloring. A box of chocolates, he presumed.

 

“Today is St. Valentine’s Day, so I am merely following tradition. This is only a small gesture to tell you that I love you--” Ratchet sputtered suddenly and violently fell from his chair. Clank eyed him carefully before continuing, “...in the most platonic of ways.”

 

“...Don't… scare me like that! Son of a Qwark…” Ratchet heaved a deep breath and pulled himself back into his chair.

 

“I know you only like sweets at the best of times, but attempting to find anything else that would be suitable for the holiday proved to be rather difficult.”

 

“Hey, don't sweat it! I appreciate this, so thank you.” He smiled back assuredly before standing and grabbing a handful of bolts from the table, “Although… now I have to find a way to return the favor! But it's gonna be harder for me, since you can't eat any of this stuff…” Ratchet looked thoughtful for a moment before gesturing to the back of his harness. “Wanna come with?”

 

Clank chuckled slightly at the predictable outcome before leaping up and attaching himself to the hex bolt.

 

“Absolutely.”

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Leap_ **

 

“Aww, what’s the matter? Scared?”

 

They’d been through this before, but no matter how many times Clank warned Ratchet about the dangers of jumping off cliffs or various other high edges, he never seemed to listen. In fact, if Clank didn’t know any better, he’s think his friend was purposely pulling stunts like this specifically to make him upset.

 

They were  _ SUPPOSED _ to be relaxing right now. Away from their busy lives, they somehow managed to find a large oasis with relatively large waterfalls and the like. Of course, despite always  _ talking  _ about resting and enjoying their usually short-lived peace, Ratchet liked to “make things interesting”, as he’d say.

 

And now, he was standing at the edge of one of the cliffs, trying to get his friend to jump off with him into the pools below.

 

“There is no point in attempting to persuade me. I have informed you about the dangers of such activities, and yet you--”

 

“‘Never heed your warnings’, yeah, I know. But this is safe!”

 

Clank deadpanned at his response, and Ratchet could only shift a little, slightly uncomfortable at the sudden scrutiny.

 

“...Well, safe-ish. But you’ve really gotta stop worrying! How will you ever have fun if you’re constantly afraid of the ‘what-ifs’?” he shrugged and grinned a little.

 

“That is… surprisingly very wise. However, this will not make me retract my previous statement. It is not safe,” Clank crossed his arms and tried his best to stand his ground. He wouldn’t give in, not this time. Ratchet stared for a moment longer, expression unreadable, before he broke out in a wide grin and leapt off the cliffside.

 

“Be safe in your coop then, ya big chicken!!”

 

Clank had no words, no witty remark in response to him. He stood quietly for moment only clenching his fists, then silently cursed himself for having so much pride, before racing forward and leaping off after him.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Respond_ **

 

He was outnumbered, about 45 to 1, and was quickly running out of ammunition.

 

And Clank  _ still _ wouldn’t answer his call.

 

“Claaaank, buddy, I could really use your help over here! Answer me!” Ratchet shouted hurriedly into his Nav-Unit as he dodged another round of gunfire. In a series of smoothly linked movements, he tossed out a Proton Drum into the large group of quickly approaching enemies, then activated the Pyrocitor to take down the ones standing too close. He followed up with his ever-trusty Omniwrench for those that got beyond that. He was practically eating his ammo away, and they weren’t even in the main room yet.

 

“Are you upset with me or something? Say anything!” Desperation and weariness were starting to kick in. In this room alone, he’d already exhausted a few weapons on just 20-something-odd guys. This would normally prove to be no problem for the crafty Lombax, but each enemy was heavily armed, and without Clank on his back, he was practically blind to the ones behind himself. 

 

It didn’t help that he was, quite literally, surrounded.

 

“Now would be a fantastic time to answer me! Or better yet, get over here!!” he cried out frantically. He ducked and felt just a few hairs from the tip of his ear get trimmed off by the sudden close-call. He jammed the end of the Omniwrench into the soldier’s gut before kicking him away and breaking into a mad dash as soon as he saw an opening. With a few well-placed swings, he was able to work his way towards a wall and pushed his back up against it. _ This way, at least, they can’t get me from behind _ , Ratchet thought ruefully, panting with exhaustion. He summoned the only weapon he hadn’t touched yet in his inventory, and glanced down at--

 

“Oh crap.”

 

A single Combuster sat in his hand.  _ Of course _ , the weakest weapon in his supply was the only one that was fully loaded. He took a deep breath and resumed his stance, only to stop short when a slight, metallic-sounding bang was heard nearby.

 

“Well, that certainly took longer than expected,” Clank commented to himself as he emerged from a small, low-placed vent.

 

“Clank!! Oh my god, get over here! We’ve got trouble, and lots of it!” Ratchet shouted half in relief and half in a panic as he barely escaped another attack. Clank approached as quickly and as carefully as he could and reattached himself to the hex bolt immediately.

 

“Why weren’t you answering me? I was calling you like crazy! These guys just came outta nowhere!”

 

“Ratchet, I told you before we parted ways. The electrons in the air here most likely blocked the signals from the Nav-Unit. But I digress, the door should be accessible and unlocked now.”

 

“Great! Let’s beat these guys then bounce! You wanna give me a hand here?” Ratchet smirked and offered the Combuster over his shoulder.

 

“You don’t need to ask me twice,” Clank responded with confidence, accepting the weapon and holding it at the ready.

 

Ratchet readjusted his grip on the wrench, and with a resounding war-cry, the duo began sprinting across the “battlefield” towards the exit, baddies flying off to either side of them as they passed by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two of the stories here, "Tourist" and "Apology", I had trouble deciding which theme they would go under. I debated putting them under "Tail" and "Revenge" respectively, but felt like these two themes suited the stories more.
> 
> I WILL get through that long list of word prompts someday! I appreciate all of your support! Thank you!! :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After many moons, the new set is finally out! Sorry this one took so long to get out! I had a lot of fun with this set, but I still have plenty more words to go through! A quick word count check shows… *drumroll* 95 words! That’s quite a number, and I didn’t think I would ever get so many to work with! It makes me quite happy! With that being said, however, I’ll take some advice and close word suggestions for now (if you do still suggest a word prompt, I’ll still accept it) so I can play catch up! And since each set consists of 8 words… you get the picture. XD
> 
> Enjoy this next set! We delve into the boys’s work as mechanics, lots of humor and fun, and one heartfelt story at the end, as promised! ;)

******_Yo-yo_ **

 

“No no, hold it like this! See? Much better!” Ratchet spoke as he adjusted Clank’s hands. Clank, confused by having this strange activity suddenly sprung upon him, only did as he was told and watched with curiosity.

 

“This plastic device… is a toy, correct?” Clank held up said object, and Ratchet readied his own.

 

“Yeah, it’s called a yo-yo! They were pretty popular when I was a kid. Now pay attention.”

 

He took two different places of the string in each hand and pulled it taut. He began twirling the plastic end piece in a circle and smirked at the warbot.

 

“Whaddya think? This one’s called the Pinwheel. It should be real easy for beginners.”

 

“Intriguing. I will give it a try.”

 

It seemed simple enough, but after twirling the end a few times, the plastic piece smacked him on the head. He blinked and shook his head before readjusting the yo-yo in his hands.

 

“How very peculiar. While the task itself appears easy to accomplish, it requires a decent amount of concentration.”

 

Clank pulled the plastic piece back into his hand and began rewinding the string.

 

“I will continue practicing until we can move on-” he glanced up at Ratchet, only to find that he had maneuvered the string of his yo-yo into an odd triangular shape. The plastic end hung from the top and swung back and forth carelessly. Ratchet snapped to attention in surprise and chuckled a little, holding up this new design.

 

“Cat’s Cradle. I know tons of others that we can try later, too!”

 

Clank finished winding the string and began twirling it again. He was fascinated by this prospect, that this one small toy could be used in so many ways.

 

As he was deep in thought, it was no surprise that he was clocked in the head by the plastic yo-yo once more. Ratchet laughed, but offered words of encouragement at the same time.

 

Clank still had much to learn, but he was nonetheless excited, too.

  
______________________________________________________  
  


**_Egg_ **

 

Ratchet had to admit - in recent years, he had begun to grow soft. Any normal person would take nothing but money for their good, hard work, and yet…

 

“...She paid you with eggs, Ratchet?”

 

Bewildered, Clank opened the box that had been presented to him, and sure enough, about 3 dozen eggs greeted him. He glanced up to Ratchet for an explanation, and was surprised by the worn, hollow look on his friend’s face.

 

“She uh… she didn't have much to give in return. And it was just a quick tune-up. And she was kind of elderly, so…”

 

Ah, he didn't have the heart to ask for money. Had this event occurred a few years back, Clank was certain Ratchet wouldn't have accepted any less than what was normally charged. And while they  _ did _ need the money, he was proud of him for being a better person and doing favors in this way. 

 

“This is rather excessive… what do you propose we do with them?”

 

Ratchet considered this for a moment, before a mischievous grin grew on his face.

 

“Well, since you asked… I was thinking you could make some omelets, and the rest… we could always egg Nefarious’s ship, right?”

 

“Two very ‘eggscellent’ ideas. I will prepare Aphelion for this trip.” Clank began making his way to the hangar, his signature giggle ringing out. At that terrible pun, Ratchet pinched the bridge of his nose, quiet for a moment before smirking when a thought arose.

 

“You should know, I'm pretty ‘eggstatic’ about this whole thing!”

 

Clank halted in his place and turned to face Ratchet.

 

“You are improving with the use of puns. But I will have you know, you will need to try ‘eggstra’ hard if you hope to best me.” On his face was mix of light-hearted challenge… and a hint of pride, perhaps? Ratchet grinned and returned the look with determination from his own.

 

“That is ‘eggsxactly’ what I intend to do.”

 

The stare down went on for about 3 more seconds before they both broke down in laughter. They were definitely going to have some fun with their latest payment.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Dent_ **

 

Surveying the damage, he tutted to himself quietly. It wasn't too much- in fact, it was barely anything, compared to what they'd been through before. Ratchet, however, was still rightfully pissed off.

 

“You must calm down. I told you, it was an accident, and I assure you, the man did apologize,” Clank stood and tried to calm his pacing friend down. Ratchet quickly sat him back down and resumed pacing around the room- a die-hard habit he displayed whenever he was well and truly upset.

 

“Oh, I'm sure it was just ‘an accident’, alright. It'll also be just ‘an accident’ when that guy finds my wrench shoved 3 feet up his-”

 

“Ratchet, please! It is a small dent, at best-”

 

“A small dent?! Clank, you could have  _ died _ , and all that guy does is apologize?! I'm sure if you weren't a robot, he'd be doing more than just apologizing after hitting you with his ship!”

 

Clank remained silent. He  _ did _ have a point. However, he couldn't just leave it at that, and sought to resolve the quickly growing trouble here and now.

 

“Please sit down. It is difficult to speak with you when you are moving about the room so frantically.”

 

His scowl ever-present, Ratchet conceded and slumped down next to Clank. He pondered over his next words carefully, and moved to speak before the Lombax could go off on another rant.

 

“My inner circuitry is in perfect working order. The only damage that resulted from this event is present on my back, on the outer shell.” Clank stood and turned around, showing a large dent in his back plate. Ratchet’s scowl darkened slightly at this, but Clank quickly turned back around and continued speaking. “Your biggest concern is that I was potentially harmed, and the one responsible was not properly reprimanded for his actions, correct?”  Ratchet, still silent, nodded once, and he took that as a sign to go on.

 

“To address your first concern, as I stated before, only surface damage is present on my being. I am entirely uninjured. For your second concern, an officer did make a full report of the incident. I did not press charges, but I am certain that the man will be more careful in the future.”

 

Ratchet still appeared upset, but not nearly as angry as before, so Clank counted this as a small victory in his book.

 

“Perhaps if I were not so small, this sort of situation could be more easily avoided?” he tried, gaining a slight smirk from his friend.

 

“I hope you're not implying that I should hold your hand wherever you go. And, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not exactly tall, myself,” he replied after a moment, the previous tension in the room having dissipated almost entirely. He stood up and sat Clank back down.

 

“Be right back, I'm gonna grab a few tools. I'll buff that dent out in a jiffy.”

 

Clank smiled and laid down on his front, pondering whether or not he should start carrying a light or a flag around with him whenever he went out on the streets by himself.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Bunny_ **

 

“Ooh, I know! He’s a bunny!”

 

“Yeah! A bunny rabbit! Look at his ears!”

 

Clank snickered quietly while Ratchet did his best to keep his temper in check. They were just children, after all.

 

“Class, quiet down, and please be respectful! These two are the famed galactic heroes, Ratchet and Clank,” the teacher announced, hushing the kids.

 

“I’m not a bunny, but I'm actually a Lombax- one of the last of my kind. There were lots more Lombaxes on a planet called Fastoon, many years ago,” Ratchet explained as steadily as he could, trembling slightly all the while. Still too nervous to speak in front of groups no matter the size or age, Clank stepped in to help him when he could.

 

“As for the previous statement, you will find that Lombaxes are more closely related to the felid species, rather than the leporid species. If you will, notice the length of his tail, compared to a common hare or domestic cat,” the warbot spoke up, and Ratchet proffered his tail helpfully. It twitched irritably, however, when one of the children called out “bunny!” once again.

 

Why had they agreed to be guest speakers again? Oh right, as a favor to Talwyn, who often frequented the class to talk about hers and her father’s studies on the Lombax species. He looked out at the small sea of children giggling and talking amongst themselves, and even spotted a few whispering to each other while peeking at him every so often. Seeing this suddenly gave him an idea, and his lips twisted into a sneaky grin. He cleared his throat loudly, making sure he had their attention.

 

“You know, being a Lombax - and not a bunny - I  _ do _ have considerably large ears,” Ratchet leaned in conspiratorially, “but that means they’re all the better to hear you with.  _ Especially _ secret conversations about me.”

 

The children laughed and screamed, running in each direction as he suddenly pounced into the “audience” with very catlike maneuvers, attempting to catch and tickle anyone he could. Clank watched with a weary smile, and reminded himself to apologize to the teacher and Talwyn later.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Falcon_ **

 

“...There. That could be a falcon.”

 

“That is a hawk, Ratchet. Observe the flight pattern and wingspan.”

 

“Well it could've been one! ...uhh… how about that one?”

 

“It is too large to be a falcon. Try again.”

 

Of all the things they could've been asked to do, this was, by far, the most tedious job they'd ever been tasked with - in Ratchet’s opinion, of course. Being mechanics, they had to make sure each customer was fully satisfied before a job was considered done. A well-done job might earn them tips that were gratefully accepted, so they aimed to please every time.

 

In their line of work, they were sometimes asked for a paint job (while they specialized in the more inner and technical workings of a ship, they didn't mind the extra change from a quick coat of color). More often than not, however - and much to their chagrin - their customers sometimes had difficulty relaying what exactly they wanted.

 

\--

 

_ “So… green, right?” _

 

_ “Yeah, but like, a darkish green that isn't so dark! Know what I'm saying?” _

 

_ “...Could you be a little more specific?” _

 

_ “Like… like feathers from a green-tailed falcon, y’know?” _

 

_ “...From a what?” _

 

_ \-- _

 

And so the boys found themselves birdwatching for a green-tailed falcon, since the customer couldn't find any other example to resemble what he had in mind. Even looking through all of the green color coded swatches, oddly enough, didn't help.

 

“‘It'll be so easy for you heroes’, he says. ‘They're easy to find’, he says. Well, it's been almost 2 hours and we haven't seen a single one! Are they even on this planet? Also,  _ green _ -tailed? How does that make  _ any _ sense? Did Mother Nature just… give up, or something?” 

 

Clank allowed Ratchet to rant, since he, too, was beginning to feel just as hopeless about this whole endeavor. He made a move to stand from his sitting position when a flash of green caught his eye.

 

“There, Ratchet! Perched on the hillside!” Clank pointed the elusive bird out eagerly, and Ratchet scrambled to Clank’s side to look.

 

“Well I'll be damned, that's a green-tailed falcon alright,” Ratchet muttered, readying his swingshot. Clank glanced up in surprise when he heard the familiar click of the hand-device.

 

“What do you think you are doing?”

 

“Gonna catch it,” Ratchet replied simply.

 

“Catch- … were we not here to only observe the falcon for a reference?” Clank gaped at Ratchet’s straight-forward approach to situations. He should be used to his mannerisms by now, but this time he'd been caught by surprise, and rightfully so.

 

“Oh yeah, we  _ were _ only here to observe it… 2 hours ago.  _ Now _ , I'm gonna catch it and steal a feather so we don't ever have to do this again.”

 

Before Clank could get another word in, Ratchet readied the swingshot and zipped away. In all parts impressive and amusing, he was able to successfully catch the bird and grapple a feather away from it, but not without receiving his fair share of battle scars in the process. The entire ordeal took all of 5 minutes, and Ratchet was still out of breath and beaten by the time he returned.

 

“They… they really put up a… a fight, huh buddy?” he panted, barely standing on his own two feet.

 

“Indeed they do. May I?” Clank held out his hand, and Ratchet dropped the feather into it before collapsing on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Holding the feather in both hands, a quick scan revealed…

 

“This color closely resembles #6B8E23.”

 

“...layman’s terms, please?”

 

“Ratchet, this is variant of olive-green. We already have this color swatch at home.”

 

“...Are you SERIOUS?!”

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Glitter_ **

 

Ratchet and Clank were certainly no strangers to the occasional, small-time villain, especially when doing routine patrol work around various cities. The whole “put your hands up or I’ll shoot” or “don’t move, this is a robbery” spiels were beginning to lose their touch. Such was life with local heroes around. And though, in any other situation, the threats would be very much real and dangerous, they were often paid no heed by them and were easily dealt with.

 

This situation, however, couldn’t have gone any more different.

 

“A glitter gun. He had a  _ GLITTER GUN _ .”

 

Another hard day of work found the heroes in their apartment bathroom attempting to clean off the remnants of the fierce, sparkly battle. Clank had an easier time wiping the majority of the glitter off, but he feared his innards would always be a “shining” reminder of this day. Ratchet, on the other hand, had already taken two showers and had a 30-minute long fur-combing session, but seemingly to no avail.

 

“I swear, with all of this glitter, you’d think the guy was somehow working for Courtney Gears. He’s officially made the top of my ‘villains’ list,” Ratchet muttered angrily, voice muffled by the towel he was currently using to rub his own face raw.

 

“It is incredibly disconcerting how easily these miniscule plastic particles cling to even the smoothest of surfaces. I cannot begin to imagine what this has done to your clothes,” Clank- almost, if not equally as irritated- commented dryly while trying to wipe the tiny pieces from between his fingers. Ratchet groaned and dropped his head into his hands.

 

“This crap is also lodged in places I don’t even want to think about, now that you mention it.” Clank watched him curiously for a moment, before reaching out to brush a sparkle from the tip of his nose.

 

“Don’t. I can see it there, and I’ll deal with it later.”

 

“In that case, we can deal with tidying up the rest of the bathroom then, as well.

 

At that point, Ratchet realized they had forgotten to put down a tarp, or at least a few towels, before they began attempting to remove the several thousand gleaming menaces. He stared at the glistening floor for a solid minute before walking out and laying down in the hall right outside the bathroom door.

 

“If I don’t get up in an hour, just assume I’ve died, okay?”

 

Clank sighed, shaking his head before stepping over him to retrieve a broom and vacuum.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Puzzle_ **

 

One and a half hours. It had been one and a half hours of incessant clicking noises and sighs, and Clank was nearly at his wit’s end. He  _ just _ wanted to read his book - it was at the climax, for goodness sakes! Another sigh of frustration passed by before Clank finally set his book on his lap and glared at his friend, who was sitting just across the room fiddling with a Rubik’s Cube.

 

“Do you need some assistance? I assure you, I can solve it in much less time,” the warbot stated, his words coming out a little more irritated than he had intended. Ratchet slowly looked up from where he was lying across both arms of the couch, a strange expression on his face. Boredom and defeat, Clank figured.

 

“I can do this. See, I’ve almost got it.” He held up the small puzzle cube with lackluster enthusiasm, the colored blocks still a jumbled and uncoordinated mess.

 

“If that is the truth, I suggest you either complete it quickly, or move to another room.” At this, Ratchet narrowed his eyes, but no fire was present behind them. Truly, the puzzle had drained him on this dreary afternoon. Clank closed his eyes and hoped he could find a solution to satisfy both of them.

 

“Or,” he continued, “you can set it down now and return to it at a later time. Taking a break from puzzle-solving will help you approach the problem later with a clear mind.”

 

Ratchet stared for a moment, before sighing once more as he stood up to stretch out.

 

“You’re probably right. Besides, it’s lunchtime. I’ll be right back,” he stated calmly, setting the cube down on the coffee table. He left the room quietly, and Clank noted that it seemed he didn’t put up much of a fight when he was truly and utterly bored. Duly noted. He took the Rubik’s Cube into his own hands after a moment of consideration, and began messing with the contraption himself.

 

Certainly, this was a puzzle to be feared, for even Clank the warbot had much difficulty trying to solve it, as Ratchet came to find when he returned.

  
______________________________________________________  
  


**_Vacant_ **

 

He needed to see, and Clank wasn't about to stop him. Call it curiosity or self-indulgence, but Clank knew it was both of these things and yet neither of these things at the same time. This ran deep, to the core, to his very heart - a hole of some kind that yearned to have closure.

 

They had made a trip to Fastoon, to a small residential district, specifically. On the way, Ratchet had joked lightheartedly about a number of things - perhaps to keep his mind off of what they were about to do. But as soon as they arrived, he grew silent, and barely spoke a word the entire time they were there. They stood just on the outskirts of the broken town, staring in awe and sorrow.

 

Though a touch of solemn melancholy, Ratchet’s expression was, overall, unreadable. After a moment of hesitation, he took a deep breath and finally steeled himself to move forward, Clank following closely behind. A deafening silence had fallen over the place, and there were no Nanophytes to be found - they were most likely well within city limits and places with more buildings, rather than on a rural side of the planet as they were.

 

The homes were, in a word, empty. Once full of life and bustling, the vacancy of it all was now stifling. Clank could feel discomfort radiating off of his friend, and was surprised when they halted abruptly.

 

“Ratchet, why-” Clank began, but stopped short when he noticed him staring into a broken window. He followed his gaze and found a table, set up with dinnerware, untouched since the night the Lombaxes fled. He could see it now: a family preparing for a meal together, unaware of the calamity that was about to ensue. Maybe they were able to escape, or maybe…

 

While lost in his thoughts, Ratchet had already moved ahead, and Clank jogged to catch up. They stopped again at a small hillside overlooking more buildings in the town. Ransacked homes stretched out over the horizon, and if one was looking closely enough, they could tell that not all of the damage was due to Tachyon’s attack. At the very least, signs of looters and bandits over the years were very easy to see. Ratchet opened his mouth, ready to say something, but hesitation made him pause and reconsider. Clank tilted his head up curiously, and, though he continued staring out at the desolation, his friend willed himself to speak.

 

“...I wonder if… if my family lived somewhere around here.”

 

As they both knew, his father, Kaden, was the Keeper of the Dimensionator, so it was safe to assume that he and his family most likely lived well within the city limits, probably close to the heart of the attacks. This conversation went unspoken, and after a few beats of silence, Ratchet suddenly collapsed to his knees.

 

Clank hurried to his side, ready to ask if he was alright, but the words froze on his voice bank when he noted his glassy-eyed stare at nothing in particular.

 

“I wish… wish I could have done something.”

 

A heartbreaking sentiment to be sure. Though the few, quiet words spoken were of a juvenile, impossible hope, Ratchet somehow appeared older- wiser, even- in that moment, worn down from battle after battle, both on the field and within his own heart.

 

Clank carefully placed a hand on his arm and smiled sadly at him. Ratchet slowly met his gaze and weakly mirrored his expression, letting a few stray tears slip out.

 

“I think we're done here… let's go home.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Sometimes, it’s hard for me to think of scenario stories, and other times (like with 2 or 3 stories here) I can just kinda crank them out, no problem! Look forward to more! I will try writing lots so we can get through these words!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Back sooner than you were expecting, huh? I had gotten a small burst of inspiration and worked extra hard to get this one out quickly! Thank you so much to everyone who continually sends me words of encouragement! They help me out more than you know!
> 
> We've got a lot of casual banter in this one, with a heartfelt story at the end. Enjoy!

**_Trust_ **

 

There were no doubts about the trust between the dynamic duo. Easily, they could communicate exactly what they wanted during the heat of battle or in the midst of a terrifying crisis. And most of the time, they didn't need to even look at each other to do it, let alone speak. Something about their actions, or when and how they did certain things, they somehow knew what the other was thinking. At times, with a quick glance, it almost seemed as though an entire conversation had passed between the two. It was almost unheard of for two people to be so in sync, but for Ratchet and Clank, it came naturally to them.

 

This was the case, of course, when they were on the field. In most other situations, however…

 

“Clank! You just gave away my position to the enemy base!”

 

“Perhaps if you had refrained from putting those guards out of commission and listened to my plan instead, you would not be compromised.”

 

“Shut up and give me a hand! I don't have any continues left!”

 

Merciless button tapping and irritated banter proved videogames to be quite a different story.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Guilt_ **

 

In more ways than one, Ratchet could easily describe Clank as being ‘crafty’. He could play mind tricks, or get him to do something he wanted to do with only a few words, should he choose to. Guilt-tripping seemed to be a strong suit for him, and try as he might, his little warbot friend always found a way to get around his defenses.

 

“You know you will regret this later on,” Clank spoke up, eyeing Ratchet as he reached for a can of soda. Ratchet seemed to hesitate for a moment before swiping the can off of the counter.

 

“And why exactly would I? I'm thirsty, and here's a perfectly good drink. End of story.”

 

He cracked it open and was about to take sip until he heard chuckling from his friend.

 

“I suppose you are right. All of that exercising  _ did _ take quite a bit out of you. There is no harm in working off the sugar you take in today, tomorrow, right? Cancelling out  _ all _ of your hard work… but as long as you do not mind this endless cycle, then there should be no problems.”

 

Clank turned and began walking away, grinning victoriously when he heard, after a pause, a can of soda being slammed into the trash can with a resounding “Dammit, Clank! Reverse psychology sucks!!” from his friend.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Innocence_ **

 

“So, you’re what, 10 years old now?”

 

Clank glanced up at the odd question, and closed his book. Strange, as they had been sitting in silence (minus the constant tinkering sounds from the vehicle Ratchet was working on) for nearly and hour, and the question seemingly came out of nowhere.

 

“I am approximately 11.36 years old, at this time. Why do you ask?”

 

“Ah, I was just thinking… you’re a little over 10 years old now, but man was I different when I was your age!”

 

If he had to describe that line of thinking in one word, it would be ‘interesting’. As he’d come to learn, Ratchet became thoughtful when he was occupied with a job for long periods of time. Or rather, he had a tendency to think too deeply into sometimes trivial or even mundane matters.

 

“There is little to compare. When I was built, I was fully operational with a mature mindset. You, on the other hand, were born, and from childhood, you developed skills over time.”

 

Clank had offered Ratchet a bored-yet-perplexed look, but Ratchet wasn’t deterred. He placed his tool back on the workbench and waved his hands in front of himself.

 

“No no, see, I get that! But think of it like this: when I was 10, I had an entirely  _ different _ mindset than what I have today! You’ve changed a little bit since we met, too, but you’ve always been kinda the same,” he rubbed the back of his head before continuing, “it’s hard to explain, but… do you know what I’m saying?” Clank mulled over the words briefly, before coming to a plausible conclusion.

 

“Are you speaking in terms of ‘innocence’, perhaps?”

 

Now Ratchet appeared slightly perplexed. He seemed to think this idea over before replying.

 

“I… guess so? Or maturity, maybe. I don't know. Forget about it.”

 

He quickly picked up his tool and resumed working, as though embarrassed for bringing up the topic in the first place. But Clank was intrigued now, and didn't want to drop the conversation just yet.

 

“ I do understand what you are speaking about. In regards to maturity, I would say you have plenty more growing to do,” Clank smirked knowingly at the indignant “hey!” from his friend, and continued, “but as for innocence, there is a childlike wonder that may have been lost in life. You are almost 26. And for a robot over 10 years of age, anyone could say I am, considerably, old.”

 

Ratchet sauntered over and plopped down in the seat next to him. A wide grin spread across his face, and he patted Clank’s head.

 

“You, old? Ridiculous! But I’ll admit that I have become kinda jaded over time, yeah.” He leaned back on his palms and hummed thoughtfully. Clank was startled when Ratchet suddenly shot up and jabbed a finger in his direction.

 

“Listen up! We’re both young, and have long lives ahead of us! So stop talking like we’re old coots at the end of our roads here!”

 

Clank blinked at this sudden outburst, and could only shake his head as he opened his book again to resume reading.

 

“I am not sure why you are admonishing me. You were the one who posed the question to begin with.”

 

Innocent? They were far from it. Jaded, maybe a little. But they did, indeed, have long lives ahead of themselves. Clank was certain that, while more innocence would certainly be lost, wisdom would hopefully take its place.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Unstable_ **

 

“That does not appear safe.”

 

“It is too! Just gimme a sec!”

 

Clank was rather alarmed when he walked into the garage, only to find a large pile of random objects stacked high to the ceiling, Ratchet being near the very top.

 

“What exactly are you doing?” Clank questioned suspiciously, slightly irritated when he noticed some of his books in the precarious mess. Ratchet climbed higher, careful as the stack swayed a little.

 

“Well, I needed something from this top shelf, and I couldn't find a ladder. And you weren't around with the jet pack, so I had to… improvise!”

 

“What could you have needed so desperately from up there that could not wait until I arrived?”

 

Clank’s suspicion only grew when Ratchet ignored the question entirely, choosing to climb to the top. Just as he claimed whatever he was going for, the pile toppled over, and Ratchet performed an impressive backflip off of it before landing safely on solid ground. It was only when he began walking back towards his desk (and completely ignoring the huge mess, Clank noted with annoyance) that the Omniwrench was revealed to be his object of interest. Though Ratchet was prepared to drop the conversation, one look from his friend told him talking would be a better idea.

 

“...An enemy… got in, so I threw my wrench at him.”

 

Clank deadpanned, quiet for another moment before reaching a conclusion.

 

“You threw it at a moth again and missed.”

 

“It wouldn't leave me alone! Pestering counts as an act of villainy, right?”

 

“Your idea of ‘villainy’ is, at the very least, somewhat skewed. It  _ would _ be an act of ‘villainy’ to leave this mess here, however.” Clank approached the cluttered disaster and began picking his books up off of the ground. Ratchet blinked and glanced around in surprise, seemingly taking in his surroundings for the first time.

 

“Wow… uh, sorry about that. I'll-”

 

He, too, had approached the collapsed pile to begin tidying up, but a moth suddenly appeared from its hiding place, fluttering about his head and ears, eliciting a growl from the Lombax.

 

“I finally got you, you son-of-a-!”

 

Within seconds, the wrench flew helplessly up onto the top shelf where he’d retrieved it in the first place. They both stared in silence until Ratchet snatched the books from Clank’s hands and shoved them back into the mess.

 

“Start piling stuff up again! That is… unless you'll let me use the jetpack this time.”

 

Clank, forlornly, could only bring himself to bury his face in his hands.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Bird_ **

 

It is a known fact that Lombaxes have, and have always had, fur. Different colors, patterns, textures, but fur nonetheless.

 

It was no surprise, then, that Clank nearly burst into laughter at seeing  _ his  _ Lombax friend come home, sparsely covered head to toe in feathers.

 

“Not a word.” Ratchet shot him a withering glare, and Clank desperately tried to control himself.

 

“I was merely going to ask how your day has been, but I can tell you are feeling  _ down _ .” This time, he could hardly suppress his laughter, and was very near his breaking point.

 

“Oh my god, I am  _ not _ in the mood for this,” Ratchet grumbled, making a beeline for the bathroom.

 

“I suppose this should be no  _ caws _ for alarm. After all, I do not sense  _ fowl _ play at hand here.” Clank was simply on a roll, and followed him. Ratchet, carefully watching his friend behind him, smirked ever-so slightly.

 

“Some lady in town was tossing seeds out to birds, and, to put it simply, she got a bit carried away,” he spoke as he began shaking bits of seed out of his clothes, as if to further emphasize his point. His grin grew as he continued, “I guess you could say she was the most enthusiastic bird-feeder I’feather seen.”

 

At this, the metaphorical dam broke, as their uncontainable laughter rang out through the house.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Stale_ **

 

As Clank had come to find, Ratchet had a terrible tendency to keep snacks or bits of food on hand or close-by, specifically so he could keep working without having to stop for a proper meal break. He  _ had _ gotten better about this over the years thanks to some constant nagging, but he easily fell back into the habit from time to time.

 

It was not the fact that he didn’t eat proper meals all the time that bothered Clank the most, though.

 

“Ratchet, how long has that dinner roll been sitting out on your desk?”

 

Said Lombax glanced up from his blueprints, a chunk of bread roll in his mouth. He chewed and mulled over the question for a second or two, swallowing before answering.

 

“I dunno. 8 or 9 days, maybe?”

 

What an absolute travesty. Clank could hardly bear the thought.

 

“I insist that you stop eating it at once! You know as well as I do that it is stale at this point,” he exclaimed. The very idea that his friend could digest something so very bad for his system… he was a robot, yet somehow the feeling of being “sick to one’s stomach” was conveyed to him by this.

 

“Clank, you have NO idea how many times I’ve had to eat food past the expiration date when I was younger. This is nothing,” Ratchet merely smirked, stuffing the rest of the roll in his mouth. Clank was ready to argue back, but paused to consider what was just said.

 

It was true that they already didn't have too much money now, but Ratchet  _ had _ lived alone for 15 years or so with nothing to his name, and probably had to make do with what he had more often than not. That fact made him feel a little sad inside, yet it didn't distract him from the real issue presently at hand.

 

“You are going to destroy your system if you keep this up. We have plenty of fresh food in the kitchen, and I am able to cook efficiently, as I have been told.”

 

He seemed to have gotten his friend’s attention now. All he'd have to do is reel him in and try to get him to kick this poor habit for good this time.

 

“I can cook meals whenever you would like. Perhaps the stew I had made before? You seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, if I remember correctly.”

 

Ratchet had perked up entirely by this point. He thought over the suggestion a few times, a small smile growing on his face.

 

“Well, if you're offering… that actually doesn't sound too bad….”

 

Maybe now, as far as breaking bad habits go, they were finally getting somewhere.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Soar_ **

 

“That is quite a ways up there,” Ratchet whistled and spoke thoughtfully, shading his eyes from the sun. 

 

A gold bolt, glistening beautifully, was spotted high up on a cliff side wedged in a small crevice. Such an obstacle would usually be no problem for the team, but this gold bolt was stuck in a particularly small opening - one that Ratchet was certain if he himself tried to squeeze into it, he wouldn't be able to get out.

 

“We could try blasting it out if you get me close enough.”

 

“I will have to disagree with that plan. We would risk causing the entire mountainside to collapse if we chose such an unorthodox method,” Clank mused. They pondered over their options for a while longer, before Ratchet sighed. He didn't really want to suggest this plan, but they had no other choices.

 

“Whaddya say then? Ready to fly?”

 

Clank turned to face him, but rather than the vexed disappointment he expected to see, he was met with a confident smile.

 

“I was waiting for you to say that.”

 

Ratchet flashed a wide smile in return and brandished his Omniwrench. Clank hopped onto the end and activated his jet thrusters. In one smooth movement, Ratchet spun around twice and launched Clank into the air as hard as he could. Reaching the apex, the jet thrusters roared to life, lifting him several more feet through the air, just high enough to reach the crevice.

 

The crevice was barely big enough for Clank to fit into, but after a short struggle, he successfully retrieved the gold bolt and leapt out with no hesitation. After a few seconds of free falling, he landed safely in his friend’s awaiting arms, though Ratchet was forced to take a knee from the sudden, hard impact.

 

“Great job! You okay?” Ratchet asked after placing Clank on the ground and began dusting himself off.

 

“It was rather exhilarating, if I am being perfectly honest. I would not mind performing this maneuver again in the future, should the need ever arise.”

 

Ratchet pocketed the gold bolt, then grinned sheepishly.

 

“Glad to hear it, because I was told there's another gold bolt somewhere around here… possibly in the same situation?”

 

Clank blinked, then closed his eyes with a sigh. It just might become routine, at this rate.

  
______________________________________________________

 

**_Fix_ **

 

“That should do it, pal. Give it a try,” Ratchet wiped his brow and stood back to inspect his work. Clank tested his left arm a few times, finding a few kinks were still present. After lifting it past shoulder height, a loud, metallic popping sound rang out, and he dropped it to his side limply.

 

“Crap. Lemme try again.” Ratchet reached for his arm, but Clank turned and backed away quickly.

 

“You have done a sufficient job. This will do nicely, for the time being.” Clank winced at Ratchet's sudden hurt expression. He smiled sadly after only a second though, rubbing absentmindedly at his own right arm, heavily bandaged all the way up and beyond his shoulder.

 

“Sorry. You know I'm right-handed, so this isn't turning out as well as usual. Better if I’ve got both hands, right? Ahaha….”

 

That crash hadn't killed him, but the guilt he felt right then and there might as well have.

 

Facing a rather large enemy only several hours before, they'd been easily grabbed and tossed straight into a massive tree at one point during their fight. Impressively, Ratchet had rolled midair so they didn't hit it head first - which would certainly have killed them almost instantly. However, they still slammed into it hard enough to smash Clank’s left arm entirely and rattle up his insides, as well as completely shatter Ratchet’s right arm and cause two cracked ribs along with a concussion, rendering him unconscious for several frightening minutes. 

 

It was only moments after regaining his bearings that Clank realized with horror that Ratchet must have taken the brunt of the blow, whether it was intentional or not. And seeing as how nearly their entire arsenal on hand was customized for his friend’s use, he could only hope he was able to keep their latest adversary distracted long enough for Ratchet to wake up.

 

How they managed to defeat the enemy after that, Clank could never be certain, but they weren't able to walk away from that one steadily without lots of nanotech. Even then, only the majority of their wounds healed, but the heavier damage would take more time, it seemed. Seeing Ratchet clean the blood off of his head from the freshly healed wounds reminded him once again of exactly how fragile organic beings were. Damage to his robotic self could be simply repaired or replaced, but it was not so easy for flesh and bone.

 

He was interrupted from his thoughts when a hand waved in front of his face.

 

“Hey, I kinda lost you there for a second. I asked if you’re feeling okay.” Ratchet scrutinized him a little closer now. Though he tried to hide it, Clank could tell those injuries took a lot more out of his friend than he let on, weariness making itself known in his eyes alone. He placed his left hand on Ratchet’s right arm, and Ratchet glanced at him in surprise. Clank lowered his gaze and spoke quietly.

 

“I am sorry, Ratchet. If I had been faster and caught onto his strategy sooner, we may have been able to avoid that attack. You were badly injured due to my negligence.”

 

Silence filled the room, and for a moment, Clank wondered if he hadn't heard him, but a fist gently tapping on his head a second later told him otherwise.

 

“Why are you apologizing? This wasn’t your fault. We're in this together, aren't we? ...And anyways, I should be the one saying ‘sorry’, since I didn't see that last one coming. You protected me when I was out for the count too… so thank you for that,” Ratchet smiled at him assuredly, but somehow that made Clank feel even worse.

 

“...In a sense, it is much easier for them to break you than it is for them to break me,” Clank unintentionally voiced his inner thoughts. Ratchet appeared ready to fire back a witty retort, but after considering the actual weight behind those words, he stopped himself.

 

“I know… I know what you're getting at. I understand. But like I said, we’re in this together,” he took his hand and squeezed it tightly, continuing, “and I don’t want you to start trying to take hits for me or something like that. Don’t forget that you have a soul, too, and can just as easily be taken out. We’re a team. We protect  _ each other _ .”

 

Clank, speechless, could only stare in awe. Just who was this Lombax, and what had he done with his immature, wisecracking best friend?

 

Ratchet smiled sincerely at him a moment longer, before a smirk graced his features and he sat up straighter. He let go of Clank’s hand and jammed a thumb to his chest.

 

“And don’t forget who you’re talking to, here! It’s gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me!”

 

Ah,  _ there _ was his best friend. He allowed himself to relax, reveling in the familiarity of it all before moving himself off of the workbench.

 

“Where are you going?” Curiously, Ratchet began to follow him.

 

“We have had quite a long day. I believe it would be an excellent idea to go to sleep early tonight,” Clank responded right away, not slowing his pace.

 

“Ah, sleep sounds  _ amazing _ right now. I second that idea.”

 

In the comfort of each other's company, they both slept soundly that night, knowing they’d survived yet another close call. And as for the future, they were certain to protect, support, and fix the other when needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda want to draw out "Fix", but maybe when I have some spare time. I have approximately 86 words left to write for (it still amazes me how I amassed so many prompts so quickly! Thank you!), and I will do my very best to continue cranking these out!


	9. Chapter 9

**Well hey everyone!**

**I'm so sorry for the inexplicable absence. But I know people have, somehow, still been finding and reading my silly stories collection, even as of recently! I went back and reread some of the sweet comments I've received, and it inspired me to get back into it. I don't know how often I will update this story, but I don't want to make everyone wait for such a long time again! And in the meantime, I've been writing other stories, so know that my writing skills have only improved since the last chapter! 9 chapters and 72 short stories in, I hope you enjoy this set as well! The first two stories in the chapter were, admittedly, written several months ago, but the remaining six chapters were all cranked out last night!**

**________________________________________________________ **

**_Safety_ **

 

For all of the dangerous stunts his friend pulled, it seemed that Ratchet  _ did _ listen from time to time. He had taken extra steps to assure they had proper equipment on board before heading out anywhere, as well as triple-checked the supplies list, too.

 

Ratchet was also loathe to admit that his freestyle way of thinking wasn’t always the best, and he made it a point to passive aggressively follow safety protocol, regardless of the situation.

  
  


“PULL UP PULL UP PULL UP-”

 

“Ratchet, we are approaching the surface at a rapidly increasing rate.”

 

“THANKS, I NOTICED!”

 

As requested by the Polaris Defense Force, Ratchet and Clank were sent to a smaller-sized planet; one that they hadn't visited before. It was no surprise that the smaller planet meant a larger gravitational pull, and Ratchet had severely miscalculated how strong it was.

 

Plummeting headfirst into the tiny world wasn't how he wanted to go, exactly. Ratchet braced a foot against the dash and pulled harder on the steering controller. In the process, a switch had been flicked, and two helmets came from the overhead compartment, slipping onto their heads easily.

 

“Ratchet, what is-”

 

“Safety, Clank! Remember?”

 

“I am unsure why you have provided one for me as well. My major circuitry is located in my center compartment, not in my head.”

 

“Good call! This might help a little more, then!”

 

Clank deadpanned as a fully-inflated life jacket slipped over his head.

 

“There is a time and place for everything, but this… this is highly inappropriate for our current situation.”

 

“True, true! You may appreciate this better, then!”

 

In an instant, bubble wrap quickly filled the small cockpit.

 

_ Joy. At least now they'll have a soft landing. _

 

“Will you please focus on the task at hand? Any further, and your pranks will have cost us dearly!”

 

Ratchet seemed to mull this over for a second before flipping another switch on the dash with the tip of his boot. A loud  _ FWUMP  _ noise resounded from behind them, and their maddening descent slowed greatly. The ship was able to be righted just in time to touch down and safely land.

 

“Well, that was fun!” Ratchet popped the helmet off of his head with a bizarre grin on his face, and he hopped out of the ship hastily. Clank watched him suspiciously for a moment, placing the deflated life jacket on his seat before exiting the vehicle as well.

 

It didn't take very long for Clank to realize that the odd sound he had heard earlier was actually the sound of four large parachutes opening at the same time. And while not completely appropriate for their near-disaster, it still played a crucial hand in their survival, and Clank reminded himself to thank Ratchet for his particularly stubborn behavior next time.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Old_ **

 

The boys had seen their fair share of old scrap heaps people called ‘vehicles’, but this one was in a category all on its own. The ship that pulled in was the pinnacle of dilapidation, and they were rendered speechless when they wrote up the work order. A deposit was collected, and Ratchet immediately closed the garage to place every ounce of concentration on this project.

 

“Wooow… so whaddya think, pal? Think this old-timer will make it?” Ratchet joked with a slight sense of foreboding. Clank inspected the ship curiously, but kept a safe distance.

 

“The state of disrepair is quite alarming, but it appears to be structurally sound, overall.”

 

“You're kidding! It looks like it'll fall apart the minute I so much as  _ breathe _ in that direction!”

 

They stood quietly, assessing - judging the vehicle, trying to figure out the best and safest way to approach it. It was an all-or-nothing project, to be sure, and the cost was a pretty penny, so they weren't about to let this one slip by so easily. A few more minutes of hesitation and plotting was finally put to an end when Ratchet spun the Omniwrench in his hand once, setting it on his shoulder on the second swing.

 

“Well, time’s a-wastin’. Hand me that… uhh, that one thingy, you know,” he spoke dismissively, waving his hand in a small circular motion as he laid back on a creeper and slid beneath the ship. Clank passed a small drill to him and pulled up a tall stool for himself to stand on. From there, while Ratchet fixed the inner-workings of the ship, Clank was able to start scrubbing and cleaning the rust buildup on the outside.

 

A job that would've taken one person no less than several weeks to complete took them only one week, and their efforts were greatly rewarded. Not only was the compensation good, but the feeling of seeing a vehicle that had been brought back from the grave leave looking 20 times better was fantastic.

 

Their teamwork was truly a force to be reckoned with, as their competitors were already well-aware of.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Sand_ **

 

Of all of their usual vacationing spots, nothing quite felt the same as when they relaxed or played on the beach. Something about the ocean and fun under the sun simply screamed “vacation”, and they’d yet to find anything that came even close.

 

But of course, the only downside to this perfection was the copious amounts of grainy sand that somehow got attached to them. At the very least, “downside” was emphasized - if they were going to the beach, they were going to get sandy no matter what, so they might as well have some fun.

Clank busied himself on the shoreline with making intricate sandcastles, complete with watch towers and moats. Ratchet, clad in only his dark blue swim trunks, had swam and played in the water for a while before watching Clank carefully.

“...You know, the water’s great! Perfect temperature and all of that,” he called out.

“I am content here on the shore. The salt water does not agree with my inner circuitry very well,” he replied without even glancing up from his work. Ratchet pouted a little before a sneaky grin grew on his lips. He quietly exited the water and crept up behind the small bot, arms raised and ready to snatch him right up to throw him in. Before he could so much as pounce, however, Clank suddenly turned and lobbed a mud ball at him, hitting him square in the chest.

“Hey! Was that-” Ratchet started, shocked, and glanced down at himself. He levelled an accusatory glare at Clank. “What was that supposed to be?”

“You did not think I built my sandcastles without a proper defense, did you? It was a cannonball.”

“Ohoho, I get it. Bringing water and sand together to combat me, huh?” The competitive grin never left his face as he stooped down to gather a large, oddly-shaped mud pie in his hands. “Well, two can play at that game!”

 

An intense mud ball fight quickly ensued, scaring away nearly all of the other beachgoers.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Kitty_ **

 

“I… look nothing like this.” Ratchet scrolled down the webpage a little more, his face twisting with disdain the more he saw. 

At Qwark’s suggestion, Ratchet decided to look online for what exactly people meant when they said he looked like a cat. He was immediately assaulted by fluffy creatures with large eyes, pointed ears, whiskers, and long tails. Some were posed in “cute” outfits, while some were pictured playing with bits of string or other animals. And some were even depicted flying through galaxies with pizza, rainbows, or whatever other bizarre nothings the vast internet would couple them together with. He shook his head slowly with disgust, even as he came across cats with what was called a “lion’s cut”. The furry bit at the end of their tails somewhat reminded him of his own, but the similarities stopped there.

“...No. Nothing like this. I look, NOTHING like this.” Ratchet grasped the top of the laptop and slammed it shut, startling Clank who’d been sitting quietly next to him. “I don’t know what ANYBODY is talking about. How could they compare me to… to  _ that? _ ” He gestured to the laptop in disbelief, then pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes closed. “I think I’m getting a headache.” Clank carefully lifted the laptop off of Ratchet’s lap and opened it back up.

“There are quite the number of types in the feline family. You may find other similarities to compare to if you specify a breed,” he suggested helpfully. They sat together and pondered this for a moment before Ratchet spoke up again.

“Well, Lombaxes are kinda like... desert-dwellers, right? What about that?” Clank ran a quick search in his internal database before responding.

“How about a Sphynx?”

“Yeah, try that then.”

One quick image search later, the laptop was promptly launched off of Clank’s lap to the sounds of an aghast Ratchet screaming “AAAAHH! NO NO NO GET IT AWAY!! WHAT EVEN IS THAT THING?!”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Anniversary_ **

 

In the strangest turn of events, Ratchet found himself receiving pranks from Clank, and not the other way around. Such an insignificant day - it was just a Tuesday, after all - and from the very start of his morning, he found himself at the business end of odd goings on.

First, he woke up and found his face had drawings and weird scribbles all over it. In washable marker, which he was grateful for, but then the shower head only spewed out strawberry juice. It was one of the most outlandish showers he’d ever taken - a little bit sticky, and smelling VERY sweet - but he managed to get the marker off of his face, and he marched out to the living room area, immediately on high-alert and keeping his eyes peeled for his metal buddy.

“What the heck has gotten into him today?” he muttered to himself aloud, inspecting the refrigerator carefully before slowly grasping the handle. He took a defensive stance and snapped the fridge door open. At first, he let out a sigh of relief that nothing had come flying out at him, but his relief was short-lived when he saw both the fridge and freezer were full of nothing but cream pies.

“Wha-” Ratchet started, but stopped when Clank practically strolled into the room, a small canister of oil in his hand and a smug grin on his face.

“Good morning, Ratchet,” he greeted casually. Ratchet stared incredulously before finding his voice.

“Hey. Good morning. Wanna tell me what this is all about?” Clank took a sip from the canister before setting it on the countertop and approaching Ratchet.

“Certainly. This is the anniversary of the first time you ever pranked me.”

“Wh- you've been keeping track? That must’ve been years ago! You’ve never done this before!” Well, “never” was a strong word, but at the very least, Clank had never gone to this extent to prank him.

“It is not too late to begin celebrating. And lately, I have been feeling a deficit of justifiable defenses against your numerous pranks. Today, I decided to exact my revenge.”

He lifted a cream pie from the refrigerator and, without a moment’s hesitation, flung it at Ratchet’s face, from point-blank range no less.

“...I deserved that.”

“Indeed. You smell very nice, by the way.”

“Shut up, you wouldn’t know that,” Ratchet smirked and wiped some of the cream from atop his head and licked it off his finger. “But you DO know this means war, right? I’m only gonna double up on pranking you now.”

“I would not have it any other way,” Clank smiled back, eagerly accepting the proposition as they each armed themselves with cream pies.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Combat_ **

 

“Kid Gloves off, tin can!” Ratchet suddenly called out, tossing his own gloves near where Clank was seated and reading peacefully. Clank, puzzled, glanced at the gloves, then at Ratchet.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me right! I’m calling you out, so let’s get to it. Me and you. One on one.” Ratchet stretched his arms and legs energetically. Clank placed his book on the ground and stood, taking a few small steps closer to his friend.

“You are certainly spirited today. What has brought this on so suddenly?”

“There was this new show on today, Mechanical Ninja Warrior! And man, it was so cool! Seeing all of the obstacle courses, the thrills, the danger, it’s got me so pumped! We’ve gotta spar!”

“Would it not make more sense to visit the local training course then?” he asked, startled when Ratchet began throwing practice punches in the air.

“Maybe! But I’m feeling energized right now! If I wait until we get there, I might not be as inspired, y’know?”

“I… suppose that is logical. Regardless, I am pleased to see that holovision has influenced you in a positive way for once.” Clank assumed a defensive stance and stood at the ready, beckoning Ratchet to make the first move.

“Yes! That’s the spirit! Let’s go!”

 

Ratchet would have easily won the spar, had Clank not feigned an injury partway in, then gained the upper hand shortly afterwards. Adding salt to the wound, he was scolded for letting his guard down, while Ratchet simply accused Clank of cheating.

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Bland_ **

 

Of all the things Ratchet normally complained about, Clank’s cooking was not one of them. Despite having no sense of taste or smell, Clank’s cooking was amazing, and rarely did any of his dishes deserve any less than four or five stars, at least in Ratchet’s book.

 

This, however, could  _ probably _ be given one or two stars, three at most.

 

At first, Ratchet wasn’t going to say anything, but Clank knew better, judging by the dissatisfied look on his friend’s face.

“It is not to your taste, I assume?”

“Er, no no! It’s… well, it’s, uh… different, than what you usually make.” Clank’s expression remained unchanged, prompting him to continue. “I mean, that is to say… it’s not BAD, but it’s just…” he searched around the room for any ideas to describe it before sighing and dropping the act. “Sorry, pal. This is _ super  _ bland. I don’t know how else to explain it.” But instead of being offended, Clank nodded, as though he knew that’s what Ratchet would say.

“I thought as much. Miss Apogee said you might describe it as synonymous with chewing wheat or barley, correct?”

“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. What is this stuff, anyways?” He poked at the grass-looking food experimentally. “Talwyn gave this to you?”

“She did. She asked me to observe your reaction to this Lombax delicacy. I think she will be rather interested in the results.”

“Yowch, Tal’s using me as a test subject? Well, whatever.” Ratchet waved it off with a quirked grin, then tipped his chair back and rocked it gently with his feet on the ground. “So,  _ Lombax delicacy _ , huh? I can’t imagine anyone willingly eating this, though. Did they really think it was that great?”

“Not by itself, no. Rather, it was mainly used for cooking. You would not eat an herbaceous ingredient by itself, would you?” Clank offered and Ratchet hummed thoughtfully. He wrote down a few notes on a pad of paper before turning around to retrieve another dish. “I would like you to sample this, now.” A regular plate of spaghetti was placed on the table, and Ratchet narrowed his eyes at Clank with suspicion.

“‘Is this gonna taste weird, too?”

“Do you distrust me that much?”

Ratchet gave him props for that one and, twisting a few noodles on his fork, he took a bite. In an instant, his ears shot up and his eyes lit up with amazement.

“This… this has gotta be the best spaghetti I’ve ever tasted! I could eat this forever!”  
“Intriguing,” Clank murmured quietly as he jotted down a few more notes.

“C-Clank? Is this still part of the experiment? ...Hey! Are you listening to me?”

______________________________________________________  
  


**_Snatch_ **

 

Another day, another mission the dynamic duo hadn’t fully agreed to go on. Such was their life, but they dealt with it one step at a time.

Today’s mission landed them on an industrial planet - almost entirely void of any organic life - in a bust on a secret warfare weapons production factory. Supposedly, the factory and its workers had been under surveillance by the Polaris Defense Force for several weeks before the perfect opportunity to take them down was found. And thus, Ratchet and Clank were sent in to do business. As expected, there was retaliation from the worker robots and a battle quickly broke out. What caught them by surprise, however, was just how badly they wanted Clank.

“Hand over the warbot, organic scum!” several of the bots had demanded. “Its primary directive is to destroy!” “Do not serve the organics!”

“They are irrational for believing I would defect from the Defense Force. Most peculiar that they are so eager to try swaying my stance, I must say,” Clank commented from his place on Ratchet’s harness.

“Oh please, just come out and say it. They're delusional! Do they even know who we are?” Ratchet said between swings from his Omniwrench, batting two more robots away from them. Being surrounded was not a position they liked being in, but if they had to be in that place, it was preferable to have eyes on each others’ backs.

It didn't help much, then, when the robots behind Ratchet suddenly closed in.

“Ratchet, they're-!!” Clank began, but his exclamation was cut short when he was forcibly yanked off of his friend’s back. As soon as the weight was gone, Ratchet looked over his shoulder, levelling a murderous, somewhat manic glare at the robots who’d grabbed Clank. At first, he turned slowly, as though giving them a chance to let Clank go. A second later though, he fell into a dead sprint, Omniwrench tight in his fist, teeth bore, and hatred in his eyes. In a series of almost untraceable movements, he'd rendered the two robots closest to him useless and quickly took out three more that stood in his way. The robots tried pulling Clank further away, but the Lombax made quick work of them. It was only a matter of seconds before Ratchet reached the robot that currently held Clank in his possession. It took less than a second for said robot to be relieved of its legs and arms, and the small warbot was swiftly retrieved.

 

Clank, meanwhile, was frozen in abject terror as he was held in a near-vice grip in his friend’s arm. He had thought his “rescue” would be the end of it, but the massacre continued, though notably to a slightly lesser degree now that they were back together. The only assurance Clank had that Ratchet  _ hadn't  _ completely lost his mind was that he was keeping the robots alive - they were still civilians who needed to be brought in for interrogation, after all. But “alive” was all they were; some were armless or legless, while others were not so lucky, and were dismembered to the point of just a few sparking wires to show there were still brain waves going through their systems. After shaking off the initial horror of what he was witnessing, Clank grasped his friend’s arm tightly, hoping to get his attention amongst the chaos.

“Ratchet, you must stop! This is not like you!” he tried, but only received a short but clarifying response that frightened him a little more than it should have.

_ “You won't be taken from me again.” _

The statement alone was enough to remind Clank that, once upon a time, he was whisked away without a second thought. Though Ratchet would never raise a hand to the peaceful Zoni (and he knew their intentions to be good), there was a sort of trauma that seemed to have embedded itself within him. And having to relive even a portion of that subdued trauma, it seemed, elicited an almost animalistic ferocity to protect Clank. Protect Clank from anything that would so much as think about stealing him away again.

Even after the last robot had been felled, Ratchet still breathed heavily, eyes darting around for anything that even dared to try again. Clank, having regained some composure and knowing the threat was gone, reached up and grabbed Ratchet by the nape of his neck, pulling up sharply. Immediately, Ratchet gasped and his arms slacked, enough for Clank to wriggle out of his grasp and lead him down to sit on the ground with him. For several minutes they sat; Ratchet, with his head and back bowed forward while he got his breathing under control, and Clank standing close by, though not too close as to startle him.

“Are you alright?” Clank finally asked. Ratchet’s eyes, though distant and exhausted, slowly rose up to meet his.

“...I really… messed up this time, huh..?”

“You did not ‘mess up’, but there is an indiscernible amount of damage that must be accounted for. The job is complete,” Clank stepped forward and placed a hand on Ratchet’s shoulder before continuing, “but my utmost priority now is ensuring you are unharmed.”

“I… no, I'm fine.” He sighed and closed his eyes. After a moment, his face tensed and his eyes squeezed shut tighter. He turned away, rubbing a hand across his face as inconspicuously as he tried. “Goddammit….”

Clank stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Ratchet’s neck in what he hoped to be a comforting hug. A small sniffle, and the hug was returned, his friend’s head firmly turned away.

“Don't even know what I was thinking. I just… couldn't bear the thought.” His grip tightened. “I couldn't go through it, couldn't be alone. Not again.”

“I assure you, I will never be taken away from you again. If I am, I will find my way back to you somehow, as quickly as I can.” Ratchet’s grip tightened once more, almost crushing, but consoling nonetheless.

“Thank you... and I'm so, so sorry.”

______________________________________________________

**And thus, you've reached the end of chapter 9! For "Snatch" it was actually the first time I've ever written a character going on an insane (almost) killing spree. That was... a trip, whoa. Hope that wasn't too much for y'all! Also, this short stories collection will turn 2 years old in June! How about that? :)**

**Author's Note:**

> I have some more prompts, but by all means, if you have any single-word prompts you want me to try, please let me know! No romance though, please - this is a fic about Ratchet and Clank's awesome friendship!


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